Labour MPs opposed to Keir Starmer’s leadership have been left scrabbling to find a possible opponent to the Prime Minister after Andy Burnham was blocked from returning to the Commons as an MP.
With the Manchester mayor stopped from standing in next month’s Gorton and Denton by-election, supporters of his on the left of the party must coalesce around another candidate in the event Starmer is forced out.
But the Prime Minister’s critics have acknowledged there are no viable soft-left candidates who are ready to take on the Prime Minister in any challenge.
It comes as the Manchester Mayor reacted angrily to anonymous claims that he had been told by No 10 that he would not be allowed to stand.
No 10 also officially denied making any claim.
‘Untrue I was told I’d be blocked’ Burnham says
“It is simply untrue to say that I was told that I would be blocked,” Burnham told ITV News. “I went through the whole weekend having conversations with people in Number Ten to discuss the pros and cons. It doesn’t stack up.”
A No10 spokesman said that “no one” in Downing Street had told Burnham not to apply to contest the seat or “gave any indication to him” what the outcome would be.
Burnham’s attempt stand in the Gorton and Denton by election was widely seen as the precursor to launching a leadership challenge against Starmer.
The Prime Minister insisted that the decision to block him, taken on Sunday, had nothing to do with concerns about a personal challenge to his authority.
He argued that allowing Burnham to run in the seat would have triggered a new Mayoral election, requiring significant campaigning resources.
Dozens of MPs and several peers are understood to have signed a letter saying there is “no legitimate reason” for preventing Burnham’s bid in Gorton and Denton.
Left has limited options
But one of the MP’s behind the letter said those against Starmer had limited options as to what steps to take next.
“The problem is we don’t have a candidate to rally around. Angela [Rayner] is great but it’s doubtful she wants it, with [Ed] Miliband we’ve been there and done that. And then who is left? Lou Haigh?” the MP said.
Another MP said it could be too soon for Rayner to step up as an alternative to Starmer after her resignation in September over failing to pay the correct amount of property tax.
Instead, the MP talked up the prospect of Miliband – Energy Secretary and a former Labour leader – making an attempted return to the top job, despite his history.
“I know he has said he doesn’t want it, and I think he wants to be chancellor, but who knows, maybe we can bring him round?” the MP said.
Some party figures have dismissed the backlash to the blocking of Burnham, suggesting it was the usual left-wing critics of Starmer.
“There are probably 50 to 60 MPs who will basically sign any letter going,” one MP said. “Having some of those names on your letter isn’t as serious or credible.”
Andy ‘will have other chances’
But an ally of Burnham said it was wrong to assume anger is restricted to left wingers only.
“People are saying it’s just the socialist campaign group and the left who are annoyed, it’s not, it goes much wider than that,” the MP said. “MPs who are not the usual suspects have texted me saying it’s absolutely nuts.”
The MP said they expect the Gorton by-election will be lost without Burnham and that risk to Starmer had only increased due to the decision, describing the local elections in May as a moment of “maximum danger”.
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The Prime Minister’s allies sought to draw a line under the controversy.
Senior sources told The i Paper that Andy Burnham’s chances of standing are effectively over and the focus now is trying to win the by-election
One senior party source said: “The decision has been made. We won’t be signing any letter. The focus now is winning the by-election.”
A Cabinet minister added: “There will be other opportunities for Andy to return at the next election. He obviously had that choice at the last election and didn’t take it. The argument over cost I think was a fair one.”
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