Burnham allies confident of No 10 ‘coronation’ after surge in backers | Labour party leadership

Andy Burnham’s allies are increasingly confident of a coronation-style transfer of power after a growing number of MPs backing him for the Labor leadership following his by-election victory.

Burnham and her team are understood to have spent the last few days gaining support from MPs and ministers as they prepare to challenge Keir Starmer in the coming weeks.

On Friday it was reported that Burnham’s team was hoping to field 200 candidates, around half the parliamentary party, following its victory in the Makerfield byelection, which saw the Reform UK threat comfortably recognized.

But one minister said the figure was now “in the dust”, while another said it was “logical” for the number of supporters to be closer to 300, which could make it harder for former health secretary Wes Streeting to challenge.

The former Greater Manchester mayor hopes to have enough support to oust Starmer from Downing Street without the need for a lengthy leadership contest.

However, an uncontested takeover is not supported by all MPs; some want the new Makerfield MP to face “scrutiny” of his ideas.

Streeting and Burnham are expected to speak this weekend but sources close to Streeting insisted he too has the numbers to challenge Starmer and is determined to do so, but added that Streeting will not trigger a contest this weekend to allow the prime minister to “reflect on his position”.

Labor party rules mean potential leadership candidates must nominate candidates from at least 20% of the parliamentary party to force a contest.

The party has 403 MPs, meaning potential rivals would need the support of 81 MPs to survive. It will also be necessary to support 5 percent of local branches and at least three party-affiliated groups (at least two of which must be unions).

If more than one member of parliament meets the criteria to be a candidate, members will vote for their preferred candidate.

As leader, Starmer does not need to meet these conditions and will automatically take part in the vote unless he chooses to stand down. The Prime Minister has said he will fight any potential leadership contest that could last months.

But previously loyalist cabinet ministers warned the Prime Minister on Friday that he would face the ignominy of being sacked over a series of damaging resignations unless he set a timetable for his departure.

Burnham secured a majority of 9,000 in Thursday’s Makerfield poll, just over a month after the constituency overwhelmingly backed Reform in local elections. His team now believe he is Labour’s best hope of preventing Nigel Farage’s party from winning the next general election.

Although Starmer led Labor to a landslide general election victory in 2024, he remains unpopular with voters after a series of policy U-turns.

An ally of Burnham said: “We passed every ridiculous test they set; we broke every ceiling they set to win like Andy did; I don’t think there could be a clearer message than that.

“It’s nothing personal, but we can’t afford not to do it. We have to be honest with ourselves about where we are and what we need to do to keep the Labor government afloat and [Starmer] unfortunately I can’t do this.

“This is an existential crisis for us and it has proven that there is another way of doing things that will lead us through this. I think it is wise and sad that Keir and his team do not want to acknowledge this at this point. Obviously they have time, so we will see what happens.”

Jess Phillips, who resigned as conservation minister last month and is close to Streeting, said Burnham had beaten Reform “absolutely soundly” but still had to face “the rigor of at least some of the types of contests”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “A lot of people don’t know Andy Burnham, they’ve never worked with him and that’s not his fault, unless you’re the MP for Manchester… I can’t wait for Andy Burnham to come along [in parliament] It’s Monday and potential candidates are setting up their stands.

Another close ally of Streeting said the “priority” for MPs was to make Starmer understand he could not continue as leader.

They said: “There [are] two ways forward. One is orderly and comradely and features a forward-looking policy debate that could be a proper battle of ideas, and whoever wins will come out stronger for it.

“And the alternative is a very bitter and angry scenario, focused entirely on who is to blame for something that has gone wrong in the last two years. I don’t think anyone would win in that scenario. It’s within Keir’s ability.”

“If Keir resigns it would allow for a very collegiate contest, because it won’t be about what went wrong, it doesn’t need to be.

“I guess putting [Burnham’s] ideas and [Streeting’s] Ideas through the ringer and the challenge of media scrutiny and scrutiny from members means we are more likely to come out of this with a stronger program and a leader whose program has been tested and can then be put into action.

“I also think there is a risk of chaos if you don’t enter government with the kind of definition you get from a campaign.”