Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has become the first Cabinet minister to publicly support an Andy Burnham Westminster return. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Week in Westminster, Phillipson stated that the party had no intention of blocking the Greater Manchester Mayor from standing in the upcoming Makerfield by-election on June 18. Her comments mark a dramatic shift in the ongoing internal battle for the leadership of the governing Labour Party.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is currently facing the most severe crisis of his premiership following a disastrous local election wipeout last week.
As of Saturday, 96 Labour members of parliament have openly demanded that Starmer step down in the national interest. The rebellion intensified significantly following the high-profile resignation of Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Thursday. Former shadow minister Bill Esterson recently joined the critics, telling Bloomberg that Starmer’s continuation as leader is completely unsustainable. Government insiders privately believe that Starmer might consider standing aside if Burnham successfully re-enters parliament and mounts a formal leadership challenge.
The path for the by-election was cleared after local MP Josh Simons unexpectedly resigned his seat specifically to allow Burnham to run. However, voters within the Makerfield constituency remain deeply divided over the mayor`s sudden return to national politics. While some appreciate his northern credentials, others express concerns that he is merely using the local seat as a stepping stone to 10 Downing Street. A new YouGov poll reflected this national divide, revealing that 31 percent of adults view Burnham as a prime minister in waiting, while 27 percent disagree.
Starmer loyalists have reacted with fury to the development, accusing Burnham of bringing unwanted factional psychodrama back to the party. Labour MP Neil Coyle publicly mocked the mayor`s pandemic-era nickname, stating that instead of the "King of the North," Burnham is behaving more like "King Nuisance." Concurrently, suspended MP Karl Turner has demanded that Starmer’s eventual successor immediately reinstate him and veteran left-winger Diane Abbott to avoid further parliamentary alienation.
Meanwhile, former health secretary Wes Streeting is scheduled to deliver a highly anticipated keynote address at a Progress conference this Saturday afternoon. Streeting’s scathing resignation letter previously attacked the strategic drift within the current administration, further isolating the prime minister. While Starmer remains publicly defiant, senior aides acknowledge that behind closed doors, all options are being evaluated to manage the collapse of his authority.
