Andy Burnham’s allies have another trick up their sleeves to get their man back in SW1 following the botched Gorton and Denton by-election plot. This summer Labour’s National Executive Committee will hold internal elections for the following positions:
Labour sources say this is the next opportunity for Burnham to make his move. The expectation is these elections will be a gift to the soft left, which in turn benefits the King of the North. It was the NEC, stuffed with Starmerites, which blocked his return just a few weeks ago.
Deputy Leader Lucy Powell (the only person who backed Burnham in the NEC elder council’s strike against him) is still supporting Starmer, but the internal thinking is she and other Burnhamites will have enough ammunition to stack the NEC once the local elections prove to be a bloodbath in May. Nominations for the NEC roles close on 26th June. Of course, events could overtake Burnham if Starmer falls before the summer, in which case a Cabinet post might have to do. The King of the North will not go gentle into that good night…
Andy Burnham has echoed Angela Rayner’s calls for Reeves to reduce business rates for hospitality and create a new minister for nightlife. Speaking after the Red Queen at the Nighttime Economy Summit, Burnham blasted Reeves’ tax raids:
“I would argue for a VAT rate more consistent with what you find in Europe because of the social value that your businesses bring to places and towns that need that life injected into them. I personally would support permanently a lower business rates regime for hospitality businesses for exactly the same reason.”
Singing from the same hymn sheet. Reeves can’t catch a break these days…
Speaking at a Resolution Foundation event in London, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham praised the soft-left policy direction Starmer will be forced to take following the No10 implosion. Sets the ground nicely for Burnham’s pitch…
The King of the North said the focus should be “lowering the cost of life’s essentials“:
“To do that requires stability and I make my own call for that today across the Labour Party. Of course, stability comes from greater unity and that would be helped by a more inclusive way of running the party. But recent events makes that now feel possible and from greater stability and unity.”
He added on the recent drama:
“We need to get a sense of a stronger team again than there has been in recent times. That I think is what needs to come from this. We need to sort of dial down all of this constant briefing… The issue in politics right in front of us, the politics of collectivism versus the politics of division. It’s that stark. And you’ve got to focus on stopping that now… Everything else is noise in the background.”
Asked outside if Starmer has his full support, Andy Burnham said “yes he does.” Those messages of support last about a week before they expire by the way – those are just the rules…
Andy Burnham has assured the voters of Gorton and Denton he has “drawn a line” under his war with Number 10 and will only bring “nothing but positivity” to Labour’s by-election campaign for Angeliki Stogia, who was selected over the weekend. It’s been eight days since he declared the seat unwinnable after the NEC blocked him from standing…
Deputy Leader Lucy Powell also made the trip north. She too claimed Burnham was the only realistic hope for the seat when she backed him at the NEC vote, as Guido revealed in Labour Wars. It is still unclear whether Starmer himself will even step foot in the constituency. Although if you’re Angeliki Stogia, you’re hoping he’ll just be too busy…
Andy Burnham has told BBC Radio Manchester this morning that his blockage was “really disappointing.” He said:
“It’s hard when something like that happens, it’s really disappointing. What I was offering the party, I think, was an alternative path to the one that the party is now on. What I was saying to them was that I think, without being arrogant about it, because of what I’ve contributed to building in Greater Manchester, I was in a strong position to fight back this different type of politics that is trying to come in and trying to win our council seats and come into Greater Manchester in a big way. I believed I was probably in a better position than anybody to fight back against that.”
Burnham complained again about the No10 briefing that claimed he was warned he would be blocked prior to applying, saying he had spoken to Starmer and “anybody paid by the public purse does not get licence to lie.” Technically they do until the ill-fated Hillsborough Law comes in…
He said he wouldn’t be “bitter“:
“In the aftermath of all of this, I’m not going to be sort of bitter and I’m going to be out there campaigning in the by-election but I am going to call that one thing out. I have been 30 years in the Labour Party, it is a hard decision for me to take as I agonised over it but I believed I was making it in the best interests of Greater Manchester.”
Burnham can enjoy campaigning in the by-election he said Labour will now lose…
ITV political editor Robert Peston reported this morning from “sources close to the PM” that “Burnham was informed in no uncertain terms that he would be repulsed if he requested permission of the NEC committee to put his name forward for the Gorton and Denton by election.” His obstinance could therefore be interpreted purely as an attempt to destabilise Starmer…
Burnham’s team saw this, disputed it and said: “Andy Burnham is seeking an urgent call with No 10 about the briefing which he says is untrue and breaks a commitment given to him by the PM.” Also reported to Peston…
Here comes Robert again: “Another source close to the PM disputes what my original source close to the PM says about Burnham being warned not to bother to apply to be a candidate in the by election. Just so you know.” That went well…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”