A former Labour minister has refused to step aside to allow Andy Burnham back into the Commons in a bid to challenge the Prime Minister.
Andrew Gwynne, the MP for Gorton & Denton, was initially thought to be contemplating stepping down due to health issues, which might have sparked a by-election potentially paving a way for the Manchester mayor to head back to Downing Street.
In February, Mr Gwynne faced suspension from the Labour Party after the Mail on Sunday uncovered inappropriate WhatsApp messages in a group named Trigger Me Timbers.
Within the group, the ex-Health Minister expressed a wish for a non-Labour voter pensioner to pass away before the following election, while also making anti-Semitic remarks and joking about a constituent being ‘hit’ by a truck.
He later apologised for his ‘badly misjudged comments’, adding: ‘I entirely understand the decisions the PM and the party have taken.’
Although there had been earlier rumors about Mr Gwynne mulling over a medical retirement from the Commons, he has now affirmed his commitment to completing a ‘full term’.
Referencing the idea that his potential departure might facilitate Andy Burnham’s return to Westminster, Mr Gwynne told The Times that the Manchester mayor’s ‘path to No 10 will not be through Gorton & Denton’.
This follows comments from Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Middleton South, on Times Radio last week, asserting that he intends to serve the entire term, thereby preventing the mayor from contesting a by-election.
Andrew Gwynne (pictured), MP for Gorton & Denton and former Health Minister, was previously believed to have been considering retiring from his position due to medical reasons, triggering a by-election that could have seen the Manchester mayor back in Downing Street
Business Secretary Peter Kyle also suggested on Sunday that the Greater Manchester mayor should stick to local politics in the North West rather than returning to Parliament in time for a leadership contest to succeed Sir Keir Starmer.
Mr Kyle told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that Mr Burnham, who has been dubbed ‘the King In The North’ was ‘a real talent’.
But he added: ‘I think he is doing an incredible job in Manchester at the moment, I think Manchester really needs him.
‘I love working with him in Manchester. It would be a shame for Manchester to lose him.’
Meanwhile, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage questioned whether Mr Burnham could win a seat if it is contested.
With Reform polling in second or first place in local seats, Mr Farage told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It would be an epic battle that could leave Burnham humiliated. We would give it everything that we have.’
On Thursday, Mr Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester that he has ‘never ruled out going back to Westminster’.
A poll in August revealed that one in three people would rather have Mr Burnham as Prime Minister over Sir Keir, the only leading Labour politician preferred by the public to the party’s current leader.
Mr Gwynne has declared that the Manchester mayor’s ‘route to No 10 is not going to be through Gorton & Denton’. Business Secretary Peter Kyle also suggested on Sunday that Mr Burnham should stick to local politics rather than returning to Parliament to succeed Sir Keir
Asked by pollsters More in Common who would make a better PM, 32 per cent plumped for Mr Burnham while only 22 per cent went for Sir Keir. The remaining 46 per cent were unsure.
Often dubbed the ‘king of the north’, the former Cabinet minister, who has made two previous unsuccessful bids to be leader, was backed by half of those questioned (49 per cent) in north west England and four in ten (40 per cent) of Scots.
He had double the support of Sir Keir in Yorkshire (31 per cent to 16).
Mr Burnham was also twice as popular as the PM among those who did not vote Labour at the last general election (31 per cent to 16), although the party faithful preferred the current leader (46 per cent to 37).
Director of More in Common Luke Tryl told the Mail: ‘Across Labour voters and the wider public, Burnham is the strongest alternative. His lead is largest in his home turf, with half of those in the North West of England saying he’d do a better job than the PM.’
The findings echo research by Ipsos in July which showed that 35 per cent of Britons believe Mr Burnham would be a good Labour leader, while only 26 per cent said the same about Sir Keir.
And one backbencher told the New Statesman: ‘He’s the only possible front-runner not tainted by being part of this government.’
Another source claimed: ‘There are many more than 80 MPs who would nominate him.’
Neal Lawson, of campaign group Compass, said: ‘Burnham is proving himself to be popular in the party and is seen to have the character and politics to win the country. I meet a lot of people in Labour increasingly willing this to happen.’
