Ministers launch ‘Trojan Horse’ plot to smuggle Andy Burnham back to Westminster to prepare for leadership challenge against Keir Starmer

Ministers are discussing a ‘Trojan Horse’ plan for Andy Burnham to replace Keir Starmer after local elections.

Preparations are underway for a sympathetic Labor MP in the north-west to step aside next week to pave the way for a potential return to Westminster for the mayor of Great Manchester.

Ministers would later demand Sir Keir drop his opposition to Mr Burnham’s return as the price for their continued support.

In return, Mr Burnham would be asked to publicly declare his loyalty to Sir Keir, preventing him from mounting an immediate leadership challenge.

Supporters of the idea argue it would avoid dragging Labor into a chaotic leadership contest and give the Prime Minister one last chance to show whether he can turn Labour’s fortunes around.

But if Sir Keir hesitates in the coming months, it will leave Labor MPs with a ready-made successor.

Cabinet ministers defending the plan say it will be presented to Starmer as the best opportunity to salvage his premiership.

According to one source, ‘The appeal of Keir is that there is no guarantee Andy will win the by-election. If he wants to run, he will have to swear allegiance to the Prime Minister. And that gives Keir some more time to see if he can turn things around.

Labor conspirators likened their ruse to the legendary Trojan Horse

Another MP who backed Burnham said: ‘It is becoming increasingly clear that Andy is the answer. Starmer can’t keep blocking him indefinitely. And once inside the walls, like a Trojan Horse, it is in place and ready if the situation becomes unsustainable.’

A third source said: ‘Andy would effectively be a Trojan Horse. As soon as he walks in [the Commons] all conflicts and maneuvers will end because then Keir has a clear successor.

‘Thus preventing an immediate civil war. But for Keir, it gives him one last chance to see if he can pull off a miracle and change the polls. And if he doesn’t accept that, then Andy steps in without too much drama.’

The Trojan Horse was a legendary wooden structure used by Greek forces to kidnap soldiers during the siege of Troy. It has become a metaphor for a malevolent gift.

Downing Street is preparing for a possible leadership battle following Thursday’s local elections, which are expected to result in the wipeout of the Labor Party.

But Health Secretary Wes Streeting is said to be reluctant to take the first step for fear of damaging his chances. Angela Rayner is also anxious to mount a direct challenge amid concerns her support for Westminster is already in decline.

The Prime Minister’s allies have rejected the idea that he would allow Mr Burnham to return just three months after blocking him from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election in Greater Manchester.

And over the weekend they rubbished reports claiming Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, which formally blocked him last time, had now ‘reversed’ to support him.

A Labor source said: ‘Andy cannot name a single member of the NEC he has won since his last rejection. His ‘credible’ plan is based on fantasy.’

Bootle MP Peter Dowd and St Helens MP Marie Rimmer are said to be willing to step aside on Mr Burnham’s behalf but both have publicly denied they plan to resign.

But any by-election could be fraught with danger, with Reform expected to poll strongly against Labour’s Red Wall on Thursday.

Steve Wright, general secretary of the Labor Party’s Fire Brigades Union, said the Prime Minister would be a ‘sitting duck’ after Thursday’s election, in which Labor is expected to lose up to 2,000 council seats across England, as well as being hammered in Wales and Scotland.

Mr Wright said Labor would have been better off if Sir Keir had resigned ‘a few months ago’. He added: ‘I think he will go. I think there will be calls for him to leave. It’s inevitable now, isn’t it? I guess he’s a bit of a sitting duck.’

But communities secretary Steve Reed told Times Radio most Labor MPs were ‘tired of all this psychodrama’.

He added: ‘The idea that we will copy the Conservatives and lead to disaster among the leaders that will mean the government is completely incapable of dealing with the things that matter most to the British public is complete nonsense. And I won’t get into it and most of our MPs won’t get into it either.’