The Labour Party is once again in the throes of internal strife, as reports swirl about Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s alleged plot to return to Westminster and challenge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership. According to the Mail on Sunday, Burnham is close to securing a deal to fight a by-election, with his strategists eyeing a shortlist of target seats in the North West—most notably the Greater Manchester seat currently held by suspended Labour MP Andrew Gwynne.
Gwynne, who has been under suspension since February 2025 following revelations of racist and sexist WhatsApp messages, is not expected to resume his career at Westminster. This, sources claim, opens up a prime opportunity for Burnham, long dubbed the “King of the North,” to make his Commons comeback. Allies of Burnham told the Mail on Sunday on December 13, 2025, “It’s happening. We are on the brink of securing a seat which is likely to come free shortly and where the polls say Andy would beat Reform.”
The timing is crucial. The anticipated by-election would likely take place on or before the local council and devolved parliament elections scheduled for May 2026, a period many expect to be disastrous for Labour. The party’s poll numbers have been languishing, and there are whispers that a leadership challenge to Starmer could erupt within weeks of those elections.
Burnham’s ambitions have never been much of a secret. He has made little effort to hide his desire to take the party’s top job, and his Commons allies believe the public is on his side. A poll cited by the Sunday Express suggests that one in three people would prefer Burnham as prime minister. However, the path to the leadership is fraught with obstacles, not least of which is the party’s own National Executive Committee (NEC), currently dominated by Starmer supporters. The NEC would have the power to vet and potentially block Burnham’s candidacy—a move that could be seen as a humiliating admission of weakness for Starmer, especially if the party is in crisis.
The tension is palpable as other senior Labour figures are also rumored to be circling. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has publicly criticized the government’s “technocratic approach” and likened it to a “maintenance department,” is said to be preparing his own leadership challenge. Angela Rayner, the former Deputy Prime Minister, is reportedly in regular contact with Burnham’s camp and could potentially form a joint ticket if he secures a seat. According to the Mail on Sunday, Rayner’s allies believe she is likely to join Burnham in a leadership bid, especially as she opposes Labour’s proposed reforms to jury trials, fearing that Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party would “weaponise” the issue against the government.
Lucy Powell, Labour’s newly elected deputy leader and a close ally of Burnham, has called for unity in the party. On December 13, 2025, she urged MPs to “come together” behind Starmer ahead of the May elections, warning, “Sharing our message is made all the harder when we hang out our dirty washing for all to see.” However, insiders suggest her call for unity was a subtle rebuke aimed at Wes Streeting, with a friend explaining, “She was telling Wes Streeting to put a sock in it. And that we should all just wait for Andy to get his act together.”
The internal divisions are not just about personalities. The rise of Reform UK in the North poses a grave threat to Labour’s traditional heartlands. Burnham’s strategists worry that if he resigns as mayor to contest a by-election, Reform could swoop in to claim both the parliamentary seat and the mayoralty. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has warned that Burnham risks “humiliation” if he tries to fight a “leadership by-election,” predicting that Reform would turn it into an “epic battle.”
Labour’s rules add another layer of complexity. The NEC would establish a three-person panel to vet by-election candidates, drawing up a longlist before presenting two or three names to local party members. One senior Labour source questioned the wisdom of allowing Burnham to run, asking, “Why on Earth would we let Andy through? How would it help the Labour Party to allow someone who’s been mouthing off about standing against the party leader to be the candidate?”
Meanwhile, the suspended Andrew Gwynne remains adamant that he intends to serve out his full term, despite being under investigation by the Commons standards commissioner. Gwynne apologized last year after it was revealed he had sent offensive WhatsApp messages, including one joking about hoping a pensioner who didn’t vote Labour would die before the next election.
Burnham’s leadership ambitions suffered a setback in September 2025 when he admitted that some MPs had already asked him to stand for leader, angering colleagues. Yet, his prospects were boosted by Lucy Powell’s election as deputy leader in October, a victory seen as a win for the Burnham camp. Powell, who represents a Manchester seat, is widely viewed as a key player in Burnham’s strategy.
Some MPs believe Wes Streeting is ramping up his agitation to force a leadership contest before Burnham can secure a parliamentary seat. However, critics argue that Burnham is now playing catch-up, with one Labour MP observing, “In the last few weeks, Andy’s been losing the ‘air war’ to Wes.”
Angela Rayner, for her part, is said to be backing a rebellion against Labour’s jury trial reforms, with her allies warning of the risk posed by Reform UK. Streeting’s camp has reportedly tried, unsuccessfully, to woo Rayner to join his campaign, and he could instead link up with another leadership hopeful, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
As the party braces for a turbulent few months, the stakes could hardly be higher. The outcome of the May 2026 elections may well determine not just the fate of Sir Keir Starmer, but the future direction of the Labour Party itself. For now, Burnham remains tight-lipped, declining to comment on the swirling speculation. But with polls showing public support and internal rivals maneuvering for position, the coming months promise high drama at the heart of British politics.
With the leadership question looming and Labour’s unity under strain, the party faces a defining test—one that will demand not just political acumen, but an ability to navigate the shifting sands of public opinion and internal loyalty.
