Can Starmer survive? The wolves are circling in the Labour Party.

Iam64

I didn’t vote for Andy when he stood for the leadership. I like him as our Mayor, he’s visible, available, hardworking and knows our area well. He was active in Gtr Manc throughout the election campaign.
I’m less impressed by him being interviewed in the Telegraph, undermining the party (not only Starmer), setting himself centre stage the week before conference.

There is talk of a Manchester mp standing down so Andy could stand. I’ve heard various rumours, including Graham Stringer who it’s said has health problems. Apologies if this is not so. His constituency is classic deprived inner city area. Reform Farrage have already said they’ll push the boat out anywhere Andy stands. He could lose to reform, we’d lose a good mayor in the process

He’s repeatedly stated commitment to his term. Repeatedly said he has no desire to return to Westminster, where it’s impossible to get things done. Poor show Andy, yes Starmer needs to be more visible on the home front, comms need a rocket but use your popularity to help get this govt in a better place

Agree 100% 👏👏👏

I didn’t vote for Burnham for party leader either.

It’s hardly a threat to Starmer is it, leftwing Burnham isn’t an MP that has been rejected several times before and unlikely to get elected.

He may be the darling of the left wing extremists but is not a serious contender.

David49

It’s hardly a threat to Starmer is it, leftwing Burnham isn’t an MP that has been rejected several times before and unlikely to get elected.

He may be the darling of the left wing extremists but is not a serious contender.

I really don't agree that Burnham is the "darling of left wing extremists", although I do agree that he's not a serious contender to lead the party.

David49

It’s hardly a threat to Starmer is it, leftwing Burnham isn’t an MP that has been rejected several times before and unlikely to get elected.

He may be the darling of the left wing extremists but is not a serious contender.

The Telegraph and tge New Statesman are featuring him with apparent approval. I don’t think you could describe either as ‘left wing extremists’.

If Burnham is unacceptable to our staunch Labour defenders who might they have in mind as alternatives?

Because Starmer has to go. He has yet another shocking, crawling to the right, ‘immigration’ piece in the Telegraph this morning.

David49, Burnham is not and never has been ‘far left ‘. He might not be a leadership candidate yet for reason already set out. He is threatening Starmer’s leadership by his actions

My partner read that the MP with health problems said there was no way that he was going to stand down to give Burnham a seat. I’ll try to find the article.

The idea that AB is 'the darling of left wing extremists' is ridiculous, and it is a sign of the fractured times that this is trotted out as an insult.

I understand Mancunians not wanting him to stand - I would feel the same if I lived there - but I don't think his ambition is a bad thing in itself. Anyone who stands for leader is ambitious by definition, and not getting it in one round doesn't mean that that ambition will go away.

Of course he's going to say that his current role is what he wants to do. It would be insulting to say that it's a stepping stone to the top, and he wouldn't have got it had he said that at the time of the Mayoral election. It's no different from any other job interview - you don't get the one you really want, so you do your best in another in the meantime, prove yourself, maybe get advice on how to to better, then when the time is right you try again. There's nothing disloyal about that, IMO. The alternative would be to say that people get only one shot at the top, and if that fails they spend the rest of their career doing something else, and watch other, untested, candidates have a go.

I would like to see him succeed, but I'm not sure either that this is the best time to launch an unsolicited campaign. I'm not sure that this is what he's done though. Maybe he planted the questions about it - who knows - but if, as presented, he was just answering questions put to him he is far from the only person to criticise the system or the leadership.

I do understand that criticism from within undermines an already beleaguered Starmer however, and have every sympathy with him (KS) for that. He's had nothing but sniping from the start, and doesn't need it from the sidelines of his own party. All the same, if he is going to be ousted, it won't be by a shy retiring type who happens to find him/herself catapulted into the role. It will be someone with ambition and a ruthless streak, which is what leaders have to be.

Iam64

David49, Burnham is not and never has been ‘far left ‘. He might not be a leadership candidate yet for reason already set out. He is threatening Starmer’s leadership by his actions

My DB voted for him in the leadership contest years ago, if Burnham was far-left, he wouldn't have done so.

Iam64

David49, Burnham is not and never has been ‘far left ‘. He might not be a leadership candidate yet for reason already set out. He is threatening Starmer’s leadership by his actions

I didn’t describe Burnham as far left but many of his supporters are.
Lack of talent in the government is very apparent, appointing Lammy as deputy is a good example

Surprised there has been no mention on here about the latest scandal with McSweeny.

And Director of Communications, Steph Driver leaving Labour.

I think when you get to this stage ( admittedly this usually happens when a party has been in government for years) the scandals/cock ups just keep mounting, it becomes unstoppable after a while.
The 'scandal' that finished Johnson wasn't what finished him ( my guess is only a few will remember what it was - defending a MP who was caught groping) it was the cumulative effect of a number of disasters.

Thank you for the New Statesmen link DAR. A fascinating discussion. I’ve now got scribbled notes all over the back pages of Private Eye which was nearest bit of paper to hand late last night!

An interesting segue too into Burnham’s reading choices: Middlemarch, Larkin and Harrison - my favourite novel and two poets whose work I enjoy despite the melancholia.

Anyone who will do away with the awful phrase “social housing” as Burnham would, and tries to unwind the damage of the 1980s with an emphasis on public housing provision and nationalising utilities would have my vote.

Good analogy of Callagham rolling the pitch for Thatcher from 1977 onwards and Starmer now doing the same for Farage.

Most of all the discussion about the weakness of minority government in the sense of Labour having been elected on only 34% of votes; that Burnham would favour PR and an alliance with the Lib Dems, Greens, SNP and Corbyn. That’s the way to beat Reform, with a left of centre alliance that puts people ahead of party. We know (or knew) from YouGov polling that LibDems would do very well under AV as they are most people’s second if not first choice. By contrast, Reform would do very badly as few like them other than people who like Reform.

This was not long after the GE and things may have shifted:

yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/50091-how-do-britons-rank-the-main-parties

The only party leaders who would have won their seat outright in 2024 under AV were Davey and Denyer. In most seats, far more people didn’t want the person who won the seat than did. We need to find a way to represent their choices.

Whether AB serously wants to challenge for the leadership now only he knows but I don’t think it hurts at all to remind the government, as Labour goes to conference, that this is not the socialist government that many of us want.

I don’t underestimate the task that Labour faced as they took office, nor the problems that Trump is presenting and the right wing here stirs on a daily basis, but people at the very least, need to see real change on housing and child poverty, things that I do believe AB would tackle as a priority.

Apparently Steph Driver KS’s head of comms has resigned. She has been with him for over five years.

Fingers crossed the next one will be more successful at getting Labours message and ethos over.

Primrose53

Surprised there has been no mention on here about the latest scandal with McSweeny.

I'm wondering about that, too, Primrose

youtu.be/Vly1rbFX8-M?feature=shared

mcSweeny scandal

www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/26/morgan-mcsweeney-labour-together-electoral-commission-no-evidence-other-offences
Keep up.

Steph Driver has presided over terrible comms. I can hear “things can only get better “ singing in my head. Please don’t let it be an omen 🤣

Iam64

Steph Driver has presided over terrible comms. I can hear “things can only get better “ singing in my head. Please don’t let it be an omen 🤣

She really has. I hope whoever they get to take over makes a better fist of it. They could hardly do worse, to be fair.

It’s so bad, one of my friends (almost ) seriously suggested we abandon the north and go to Westminster to help out

Burnham has gone down in my estimation by letting himself get dragged into this possible contest at this particular time. Loyalty is paramount and I found his recent interview very worrying. If he really isn't interested then he could have been very firm in his denial. ~To me it says a lot about him.

Casdon

www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/26/morgan-mcsweeney-labour-together-electoral-commission-no-evidence-other-offences
Keep up.

You don't think that would stop the right, do you?

According to the Mail 'there is an email'.... (say it in an ominous tone of voice..)

westendgirl

Burnham has gone down in my estimation by letting himself get dragged into this possible contest at this particular time. Loyalty is paramount and I found his recent interview very worrying. If he really isn't interested then he could have been very firm in his denial. ~To me it says a lot about him.

They all want to be PM given half a chance, loyalty goes out the window.

Burnham twice tried and failed to be elected leader. I like him but I’m disappointed he’s manoeuvring at this point. Wait for a constituency to become available, see if yiu can win it. If Keir hasn’t managed to improve his ratings, suggest a leadership contest in the fullness of time.
Burnham is evidently popular in the north, not in the south, back stabbing isn’t a positive quality

I quite like Suzanne Moores tweet on the matter.
'Everyone needs to calm down about Andy Burnham. Including Andy Burnham'