Rebuffed Burnham can return to honing his stature and attack lines

"With his return to Westminster seemingly blocked, on Monday Andy Burnham will get back to the two roles to which he has devoted his time in recent years: being mayor of Greater Manchester and annoying Keir Starmer. The second is very much a part-time and unofficial role, but it is noticeable how Burnham manages to edge back into the media spotlight whenever the leader of his party is having a tough time."

"In 2021, when Starmer, as leader of the opposition, was suffering under Boris Johnson's short-lived if powerful vaccine bounce in the polls, Burnham spoke at so many fringe events at the party's annual conference that even his aides lost count. Burnham's self-stated role at the gathering in Brighton, 250 miles from his mayoral base, was to offer a range of policy ideas and also to the deep frustration of those around Starmer remind anyone listening he was a Labour official actually exercising power."

"His flurry of events also kicked off with an interview in which Burnham breezily recounted how some Labour MPs had contacted him during the summer to ask if he would try to replace Starmer. For all that Burnham has pledged his loyalty to the prime minister, not even his close allies doubted that his decision to formally seek permission to become the candidate in the forthcoming Gorton and Denton byelection was anything but the first stage in a likely challenge."

"While allies of the prime minister spoke scathingly on Sunday of Andy Burnham's ambition being at the centre of the plan, supporters of the mayor argue that with Starmer's personal poll ratings dismal, Labour needs to change course if it is to prevent a Nigel Farage-led government. So what next? For all that Burnham will be aggrieved at the swift and comprehensively organised quashing of his plans by No 10, he can settle back into the role"

Andy Burnham faces a blocked return to Westminster and will resume his mayoral duties in Greater Manchester while continuing to provoke Keir Starmer. Burnham repeatedly re-emerges in the media when the party leader encounters political difficulty, using conferences and interviews to promote policy ideas and signal authority. In 2021 he spoke at numerous fringe events and in autumn recounted MPs urging him to replace Starmer. He sought permission to stand in the Gorton and Denton byelection, a move widely seen as a first step towards a leadership challenge, but No 10 swiftly quashed those plans.

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