Andy Burnham refuses to rule out challenging Starmer for leadership

Andy Burnham has twice failed to rule out a Labour leadership bid, after an MP said he would vacate his seat so the Greater Manchester mayor can return to Westminster.

Burnham has been at the centre of speculation about a move against Sir Keir Starmer since Labour’s autumn conference but could only do so if he was an MP.

On Wednesday, Norwich South MP Clive Lewis said he was willing to step down to potentially make way for Burnham to return to the Commons via a by-election.

Burnham was quizzed on the MP’s offer on both BBC Breakfast and BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, but would only say he is “fully focused” on his current role as mayor.

On BBC Breakfast, presenter Naga Munchetty tried to pin Burnham down on whether he would see out his full term as mayor, running until 2028.

“I don’t know what he world holds but I’m focused on my job here in Greater Manchester,” he responded.

Pushed further, he said “I haven’t launched any leadership challenge” before adding “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 then criticised journalists for speculating, saying he is “constantly answering hypothetical questions” and claimed MPs in Westminster were “constantly speculating and not putting forward solutions”.

The Labour Party rules for any leadership challenge state that candidates must be an MP and also secure the backing of at least 80 MPs to run against the incumbent.

Two Labour MPs in Manchester, Andrew Gwynne and Graham Stringer, previously ruled out stepping down from their seats so Burnham could run.

On Wednesday Lewis, who has been an MP for 10 years, told BBC’s Politics Live that stepping aside for Burnham was “a question I’ve asked myself,” adding that the answer would have to be “yes”.

He later told The Sun he had “no plans to stand down” and had been answering a “hypothetical question”.

The Norwich South MP last week said Sir Keir’s position as prime minister was “untenable” and told Channel 4 News that Burnham should be given the chance to “step up”.

On the Today programme, presenter Emma Barnett asked Burnham whether he would take Lewis up on his offer of vacating a seat, but he would only say “I appreciate the support” and repeated how he was focused on his current job.

Before becoming Manchester mayor in 2017, Burnham served as a cabinet and shadow cabinet minister under successive Labour leaders and made two unsuccessful Labour leadership bids.

Lewis first won his seat in 2015, and last year he increased his majority to more than 13,000.

But if he were to step down, any would-be successor would first need to win a selection contest before a by-election was held.