Burnham's Bumpy Road: The Perils of a Potential Return to Parliament
Andy Burnham, the current Mayor of Greater Manchester, is reportedly considering a comeback to parliament. If he decides to take the road back, it's likely to be a bumpy one. First, he would need to stand down as mayor, which could cost the authority millions in running a mayoral byelection and the party a significant sum to fight it.
Burnham faces another major hurdle: getting selected by the Labour Party's national executive committee (NEC). Four NEC members have estimated his chances of being selected by that body as "zero". The NEC chair, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, has already shown her disdain for Burnham, who is seen as a threat to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The NEC is dominated by moderate leftwingers and centrists, who helped Starmer win the party leadership. However, there are also trade unions and some Labour MPs who sympathize with Burnham. The party's general secretary, Hollie Ridley, wields significant power over candidate selection, and could potentially block Burnham's run.
Burnham cannot run for parliament at the same time as being mayor of Greater Manchester due to restrictions on mayors with policing powers. His only option would be to create a public fuss that embarrasses No 10 and makes it difficult for them to block his path. This approach has worked in the past, but some believe Starmer could use this tactic against Burnham.
Even if Burnham manages to overcome these obstacles and runs as a Labour candidate, he faces an uphill battle in the Gorton and Denton seat. The seat is considered winnable for Labour but has seen a growing Reform UK vote, according to polling. If Burnham loses, it could cement his reputation as a vocal critic of the party's direction and make him a dark horse candidate for future leadership contests.
In summary, Burnham's potential return to parliament would be fraught with challenges. He would need to navigate complex party politics, overcome personal animosity with Starmer, and face significant opposition from within the Labour Party itself.
Andy Burnham, the current Mayor of Greater Manchester, is reportedly considering a comeback to parliament. If he decides to take the road back, it's likely to be a bumpy one. First, he would need to stand down as mayor, which could cost the authority millions in running a mayoral byelection and the party a significant sum to fight it.
Burnham faces another major hurdle: getting selected by the Labour Party's national executive committee (NEC). Four NEC members have estimated his chances of being selected by that body as "zero". The NEC chair, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, has already shown her disdain for Burnham, who is seen as a threat to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The NEC is dominated by moderate leftwingers and centrists, who helped Starmer win the party leadership. However, there are also trade unions and some Labour MPs who sympathize with Burnham. The party's general secretary, Hollie Ridley, wields significant power over candidate selection, and could potentially block Burnham's run.
Burnham cannot run for parliament at the same time as being mayor of Greater Manchester due to restrictions on mayors with policing powers. His only option would be to create a public fuss that embarrasses No 10 and makes it difficult for them to block his path. This approach has worked in the past, but some believe Starmer could use this tactic against Burnham.
Even if Burnham manages to overcome these obstacles and runs as a Labour candidate, he faces an uphill battle in the Gorton and Denton seat. The seat is considered winnable for Labour but has seen a growing Reform UK vote, according to polling. If Burnham loses, it could cement his reputation as a vocal critic of the party's direction and make him a dark horse candidate for future leadership contests.
In summary, Burnham's potential return to parliament would be fraught with challenges. He would need to navigate complex party politics, overcome personal animosity with Starmer, and face significant opposition from within the Labour Party itself.
this is gonna be a wild ride for Andy Burnham! 
First off, he's gotta deal with the mayoral byelection drama 
, like, what a headache 
. And if he gets selected by the NEC, which seems super unlikely 
, there's still the whole Starmer thing 
to navigate.
- trade unions and Labour MPs who are down with his vibe 
. And if he creates enough of a public fuss 
, No 10 might get all bent outta shape 
.
, but you never know what can happen in politics 
. Maybe this whole ordeal will be his biggest opportunity yet 
?
. The obstacles in his way are pretty insurmountable, if you ask me. Firstly, he'd have to convince the Labour Party to select him, which seems like a tall order considering how they feel about him now. And even if he does make it onto the ballot, Gorton and Denton is no cakewalk - Reform UK is making waves in that constituency and Labour would need to get their act together to take it back.
. Otherwise, this whole fiasco is just going to be a distraction from the things that actually matter 
. And then there's the fact that his own party might not want him back, especially with Keir Starmer at the helm 
. But at the same time, I don't want him to get lost in the wilderness either 
.
burnham's got some serious baggage with starmer and the labour party, it's like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole... or not? idk man, i think burnham should just stick with being mayor and let others take on the politics thing. he's got a good track record there, why fix what ain't broke? 
. The Labour Party's NEC seems to be solidly behind Keir Starmer, and Burnham's past criticisms of the party have not gone unnoticed 
. Additionally, the Gorton and Denton seat appears to be a tough nut to crack for even an established candidate like Burnham 
. Ultimately, I think it's more likely that he'll continue to serve as mayor of Greater Manchester, but if he does decide to make a comeback, it will be a closely watched and potentially messy affair 
but this plan is gonna get him nowhere 
. He's got to deal with the noose that is the Labour NEC 
and they're not gonna go easy on him 
. And let's be real, if he does try to create some drama at No 10, Keir Starmer will just turn it back around on him 
.
Labour Party members who oppose Burnham: 62%
Reform UK vote in Gorton and Denton seat: up by 12% since last year 
Average time for a Labour MP to lose their seat: 4 years, 9 months 
. He's already making a difference in that role, so let him focus on that rather than trying to take on the party machine 
.
but theres some people who might vibe with him and help him out like that trade union crew.
. Burnham needs to chill out and focus on something other than stirring up trouble, you know? 
Either way, I'm not holding my breath for this comeback attempt 
.
first hes gotta quit bein mayor which wud cost him n the party a bunch of dosh 
. Plus, he's got some major hurdles to jump over before even getting close to the polls 
.
. And even if they do give him a chance, Burnham faces an uphill battle in Gorton and Denton - those votes are not as easily won as people might think