All posts tagged: Andy Burnham

Angela Rayner Holds Secret Meeting With Andy Burnham

Angela Rayner Holds Secret Meeting With Andy Burnham

Published by Sam Flores

Angela Rayner had a secret meeting with Andy Burnham on Friday night, according to new reports. The Sun on Sunday shared photos of the Greater Manchester mayor arriving at the former deputy prime minister’s constituency home in Ashton. Their summit adds to mounting speculation the two soft-left Labour figures might be considering launching a joint coup. Their encounter came hours after Keir Starmer furiously defended his premiership amid fresh developments in the Peter Mandelson scandal. It was revealed by the Guardian this week that the ex-Labour peer failed security vetting, but still secured the top job as the UK’s ambassador to the US. Starmer has since insisted that he was not told Mandelson had failed and only found out on Tuesday night. He then sacked the chief of the Foreign Office, Olly Robbins, on Thursday night. As scrutiny over Starmer’s judgement grows once again, technology secretary Liz Kendall sent a message to the PM’s potential opponents this morning. She said: “Any politician that focuses more on their future and their job, not people’s future sand …

If Keir Starmer wants to show his mettle, he should tell Rayner where to get off

If Keir Starmer wants to show his mettle, he should tell Rayner where to get off

Published by Sam Flores

Now it turns out the Government, viz, the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, may be listening to this nitwit, and watering down her proposals. This is presumably on the basis that Andy Burnham, the Manchester mayor who might actually have posed a leadership risk to the PM, says that “we should always listen to Angela”. Look, this is a man who is sounding out potential allies for his own putative bid; don’t pay attention to him. Yet the Government has let it be known, in characteristically contradictory briefings, that it may do an about-turn on lengthening the period of residence in the UK prior to a citizenship application. So, it may not apply to people already here. Yet it is the 1.7 million people already here who are next in line to apply under the old rules who (whatever their individual merits) are precisely the problem. Ange could take a bow for increasing the population of the country by more than the size of Birmingham. Source link

Starmer’s premiership is dying. Nobody knows how to save it. – POLITICO

Starmer’s premiership is dying. Nobody knows how to save it. – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The result, one of the worst in Labour’s recent history, has turbocharged the acrimonious debate about Starmer’s perilous position and the direction he is taking his party in.  Six government ministers, MPs and officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told POLITICO they don’t expect the prime minister to be ousted in the wake of the result, which two people separately described as the “worst case scenario.” Further election hammerings expected in national and local contests in May are seen as the next flashpoint which could end his premiership less than two years after he won a landslide majority.  The Scottish Labour MP Brian Leishman was blunt on Friday, saying: “He has to go for the good of Scotland, the U.K. and the party.” Starmer and his allies insist they can turn things around — and that no massive change of strategy is needed. In a Friday interview, the prime minister gave no indication he was planning another major reset of his leadership to convince his detractors internally and externally. And in a direct emailed plea …

Andy Burnham Slams Jim Ratcliffe Over ‘Insulting’ Migrant Claim

Andy Burnham Slams Jim Ratcliffe Over ‘Insulting’ Migrant Claim

Published by Sam Flores

Andy Burnham has joined the growing condemnation Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe’s shocking claim that the UK is “being colonised” by immigrants. The mayor of Greater Manchester said the billionaire’s “inaccurate, insulting, inflammatory” remarks should be withdrawn. It comes after prime minister Keir Starmer also criticised Ratcliffe for his “offensive and wrong” comments, and urged him to apologise. The row began after Ratcliffe, the founder and chairman of petrochemical giant Ineos, told Sky News on Wednesday that Britain’s population had increased by 12 million since 2020. The real figure is closer to three million. He said: “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. “I mean, the UK is being colonised. It’s costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants.” Burnham slammed the remarks in a social media statement, saying the comments “go against everything for which Manchester has traditionally stood: a place where people of all races, faiths and none have pulled together over centuries to build our city and our …

How to topple the British prime minister in 5 easy steps – POLITICO

How to topple the British prime minister in 5 easy steps – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

They must win the support of 5 percent of Labour’s constituency parties, or at least three of the party’s formal “affiliate” bodies including two trade unions. This is not always a formality, as Emily Thornberry — now chair of the Commons’ foreign affairs committee — discovered when she failed to reach the local party threshold when running against Starmer in 2020. Two of the four officials noted above suggested that Wes Streeting — despite being widely seen as a frontrunner — could struggle during this stage, as many unions and constituency parties regard his politics as not left-wing enough. A third official said this was inaccurate, given there has been an exodus of left-wing members from the party. Step 5: Go to the party Whoever pulls through the initial stages — probably three candidates at the most — will go through to a final vote of Labour’s members. The result is difficult to predict, as many of the most left-wing members who joined under Jeremy Corbyn in the late 2010s have exited the party. In …

Labour Mayor Condemns Gutless Criticism Of Andy Burnham

Labour Mayor Condemns Gutless Criticism Of Andy Burnham

Published by Sam Flores

A Labour mayor has condemned the “gutless” senior party figures briefing anonymously against Andy Burnham. Steve Rotheram hit out amid the ongoing Labour civil war over the decision to block the Manchester mayor from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election on February 26. Keir Starmer said allowing Burnham to run could have triggered a separate by-election for the Manchester mayoralty, which would cost the party and taxpayers millions of pounds. Burnham has spoken of his disappointment at being snubbed – and accused Labour of never supporting him in any of his three mayoral elections. But a cabinet minister told The Times: “He’s been handed everything on a plate for his whole career. He’s now angry because people won’t make way for his second coming. It’s typical Andy.” In a post on X, Liverpool mayor Rotheram said: “Enough already. I’ve kept my counsel so far because there were assurances from the prime minister that anonymous briefings against Andy Burnham would stop. “These gutless people hide behind the cloak of anonymity – just like the keyboard …

Labour announces Gorton and Denton by-election candidate | Politics | News

Labour announces Gorton and Denton by-election candidate | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

A Labour councillor originally from Greece will fight the seat Andy Burnham was barred from contesting in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election. Angeliki Stogia will be the Labour candidate as the party battles to stop the heartland seat being taken by Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin, a political scientist, or the Greens’ Hannah Spencer, a plumber. Labour’s National Executive committee denied Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham the opportunity to stand in the February 26 by-election, triggered by the resignation of Labour’s Andrew Gwynne. Labour won the seat with 18,555 votes in the 2024 election, beating Nigel Farage’s Reform UK which came second place on 5,142, ahead of the Greens on 4,810. Ms Stogia said: “I have devoted my life to working and campaigning for the people of Manchester and Greater Manchester. In the last 12 years alone, I have a campaigned for good homes, better transport, and a greener Manchester. Now I’m standing to be your Member of Parliament to unite our community and stand up to the divisive politics of Reform. “This is …

Desperate Keir Starmer orders 404 Labour MPs to help him avoid by-election humilitation | Politics | News

Desperate Keir Starmer orders 404 Labour MPs to help him avoid by-election humilitation | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Sir Keir Starmer has ordered all 404 Labour MPs to make campaigning visits to Gorton and Denton, in a bid to avoid humiliation in next month’s by-election. Bookmakers have Reform candidate Matt Goodwin as the favourite to win the February 26 poll, after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was blocked from standing for Labour. The Green Party, which will name its candidate on Friday, insists the vote is now a two-horse race. Leader Zack Polanksi said: “We alone will be taking the fight to Reform”. Sir Keir has appointed junior transport minister Andrew Western to oversee Labour’s campaign, and every Labour MP has been told they must visit the North-west constituency at least once before polling day. Labour is to name its candidate on Saturday, with four local councillors, including Bury Council leader Eamonn O’Brien, in the running. But the fallout from the decision to bar Mr Burnham continued, as the Mayor insisted he was “probably in a better position than anybody” to prevent Reform gaining the seat, which Labour held in 2024 with a …

Tories say they’re not the ‘drama queens’ of British politics anymore – POLITICO

Tories say they’re not the ‘drama queens’ of British politics anymore – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Badenoch now claims only her party can be trusted to govern the country competently. The Tories are “a party of serious people, not drama queens,” she said. Voters — and her own MPs — are not yet convinced. Badenoch continues to languish in the polls, and ex-Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, veteran MP Andrew Rosindell and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman have all jumped ship to Reform UK this month claiming Britain is broken thanks to the Conservatives. The Tory leader laid into those former colleagues, accusing them of having “a tantrum dressed up as politics.” “I’m sorry you didn’t win the leadership contest. I’m sorry you didn’t get a job in the shadow cabinet. I’m sorry you didn’t get into the Lords,” Badenoch said, accusing them of “not offering a plan to fix this country.” Badenoch also jumped on in-fighting in the ruling Labour Party, accusing its MPs of “scheming to get in a new contender to challenge the prime minister.” Source link