Andy Burnham allies seize on Mandelson crisis to plot path for Manchester mayor to make Westminster comeback

Andy Burnham’s allies are said to be hoping to exploit growing infighting in the Labor Party to pave the way for his eventual return to Westminster.

Sir Keir Starmer is fighting for his political life following the latest calls for his resignation over the Peter Mandelson investigation. The scandal further increased divisions within the Labor Party; Many fear the party could face a crippling defeat in elections in May.

The mayor of Greater Manchester has been one of the most talked about threats to Sir Keir’s leadership in recent months, with speculation about a potential challenge growing since mid-2025 when he repeatedly failed to reject a Labor leadership bid.

But tensions came to a head earlier this year when Mr Burnham was blocked by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) from contesting the Gorton and Denton by-election.

Critics accused Sir Keir of blocking Mr Burnham’s candidacy in the constituency – where Labor suffered a crippling defeat to the Greens – to avoid a leadership challenge.

Mr Burnham’s allies are now reportedly hoping to exploit infighting in the Labor Party to seize control of the NEC in a reshuffle later this year, potentially creating an easier path for him to return to Parliament.

A person close to Mr Burnham said: Finance Times He said he was “keeping an eye” on how figures in the party’s NEC might change.

One Labor MP said: “There are a lot of NEC posts up for grabs in the autumn and you will see a shift left and away from the Starmer loyalists and after that it will be harder to stop Burnham from coming back to Westminster.”

Another senior Labor official told the newspaper: “Having more members who are against the leadership will change the balance.”

An NEC member loyal to Starmer said the decision to allow Mr Burnham to stand for parliament “depended on the mood of the party at the time”.

“Just because we blocked him last time doesn’t mean we’ll block him next time,” they said.

But a person close to Mr Burnham said the idea of ​​him standing down as Mayor of Manchester in a by-election had “completely failed”.

About 16 of the 40 seats on the NEC are up for grabs in July, meaning an opportunity for a group more supportive of Mr Burnham to take control.

The elections will be held after May’s local elections, which are expected to deal a major blow to both the party and Sir Keir’s authority, which is already under threat amid recent accusations that Lord Mandelson’s appointment was a “cover-up”.

Labor and Mr Burnham have been contacted for comment.