On November 20, 2025, Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, once again found himself at the center of speculation over the Labour Party’s leadership. Despite a flurry of questions from journalists and mounting pressure from some within Labour’s ranks, Burnham steadfastly refused to rule out a possible challenge to Sir Keir Starmer, the current Prime Minister and party leader. This latest round of intrigue comes at a time of deep unrest within the party, as Labour faces devastating approval ratings and growing discontent among backbenchers.
Rumors about Burnham’s potential return to Westminster have swirled since Labour’s autumn conference, where his hints at a comeback set tongues wagging. According to BBC, Burnham could only mount a leadership challenge if he first became an MP, as Labour Party rules require any candidate to be a sitting Member of Parliament and to secure the support of at least 80 MPs to contest the leadership. Burnham, who left the Commons in 2017 to become mayor, has previously served as a cabinet and shadow cabinet minister under multiple Labour leaders and has made two unsuccessful bids for the party’s top job.
The latest speculation was given new life when Clive Lewis, the MP for Norwich South, publicly stated on November 19 that he would be willing to step down to allow Burnham to return to Parliament via a by-election. Speaking on BBC’s Politics Live, Lewis said, “It’s a question I’ve asked myself, and I’d have to obviously consult with my wife as well, and family, but do you know what? If I’m going to sit here and say ‘Country before party, party before personal ambition,’ then yes, I have to say yes, don’t I?” Lewis, who has represented Norwich South since 2015, later clarified to The Sun that he had “no plans to stand down” and had merely been answering a hypothetical question.
When pressed about Lewis’s offer on a series of BBC programs—including BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, BBC Radio Manchester, and BBC 5Live—Burnham repeatedly dodged giving a definitive answer. “I don’t know what the world holds but I’m focused on my job here in Greater Manchester,” he told BBC Breakfast. He added, “I haven’t launched any leadership challenge,” and, when pushed further, said, “I’m not going to sit here this morning and rule out what might or might not happen in future—I don’t know what the future will hold.”
Burnham’s reluctance to close the door on a leadership bid has only fueled further speculation. On BBC Radio Manchester, presenter Mike Sweeney pressed him: “You could put this to bed now, you could say ‘I have no intention whatsoever of returning to parliament’ and that isn’t a statement that you’ve made?” Burnham replied, “The statement I can make is that I can’t make a challenge as it stands because I’m not a member of parliament.” When asked what would happen if an MP stood aside, he added, “I’m also going to say I don’t know what the future holds… You just don’t know do you? No-one goes into an office and speculates about their own future in front of everybody.”
Despite the persistent questioning, Burnham has been keen to steer the conversation back to his work as mayor. He announced a pioneering £1 billion growth plan for Manchester, featuring 30 new projects aimed at creating housing and jobs across the city region. “I’m doing my job to the best of my ability, and I’m trying to help the country and the government by putting forward the kind of plan that I’m putting forward today. Not constantly answering hypothetical questions,” Burnham told The Independent. He described Manchester as “the most successful city region in the country, the fastest-growing,” and emphasized that his priority was to offer solutions rather than get caught up in Westminster speculation.
Yet, the noise from Westminster has been hard to ignore. According to The Times, senior MPs in the Tribune Group—a left-leaning faction within Labour—are actively preparing for a potential leadership race. While they have not yet united around a single candidate, it is believed they could muster the 80 MPs required for a contest. This internal maneuvering comes as Labour’s approval ratings continue to slide and as Starmer faces criticism from various quarters. Health Secretary Wes Streeting and allies of former deputy leader Angela Rayner have both been forced to deny any involvement in plots to oust Starmer, highlighting the party’s current state of unease.
Public sentiment appears to reflect the party’s jitters. A recent YouGov survey cited by The Independent found that 23 percent of Labour voters believe Starmer should quit now, while another 22 percent think he should step down before the next general election, which is due by 2029 at the latest. Only 34 percent of respondents believe he should still be leading Labour by the time the country goes to the polls again. These numbers have only added to the sense of urgency and uncertainty swirling around Starmer’s leadership.
In response to the speculation, Starmer has insisted he will lead Labour into the next general election and has criticized the ongoing rumors as a distraction. “This is a moment now, particularly with the budget, to strike out and set a course and get things going and I’m trying to help by bringing forward a plan for growth in Greater Manchester,” Burnham said on BBC Radio 5Live, expressing support for the prime minister’s efforts while stopping short of an unequivocal endorsement.
While two Manchester MPs, Andrew Gwynne and Graham Stringer, have already ruled out stepping down to make way for Burnham, the mere suggestion from Clive Lewis has kept the conversation alive. Lewis’s earlier comments to Channel 4 News, in which he argued that Starmer’s position was “untenable” and called for Burnham to “step up,” have only intensified the spotlight on the mayor.
Burnham’s own political history adds further intrigue. Before taking up the mayoralty in 2017, he was a prominent figure in Labour’s national leadership, serving as a cabinet and shadow cabinet minister under successive leaders. His two previous, unsuccessful bids for the leadership have left many wondering whether he might try again—especially as Labour navigates a period of internal strife and public skepticism.
For now, Burnham is playing his cards close to his chest. He continues to insist that his focus remains on Manchester, while refusing to rule out a future run for the party’s top job. “I have confidence in the prime minister. He won a really impressive election victory and, as I’ve said before, you cannot as a government get everything going in the way that you want to in 18 months and I think it’s barely 18 months that they’ve been in office,” Burnham told BBC Radio 5Live. “So absolutely this is a moment now… to strike out and set a course.”
As Labour’s internal drama unfolds, all eyes remain on Burnham and the shifting alliances within the party. The coming months could prove pivotal, not just for the mayor of Manchester, but for the future direction of the Labour Party itself.
