Burnham Backs Starmer but Calls for Boldness as Labour Seeks Unity After Turbulent Week
London — Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has publicly backed Prime Minister Keir Starmer while urging him to adopt a bolder approach and embrace contributions from across the Labour Party, following a week of internal turmoil and leadership speculation.
In a speech and questions and answers session in Westminster on Tuesday, Burnham called for the party to unify and face, "in the same direction", but insisted the government must raise its ambition, particularly on housing.
His intervention came just a day after a dramatic period for the government, which saw Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar call for Starmer to resign. While the Prime Minister has since secured the backing of the full cabinet, Burnham’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among senior Labour figures that the government needs to reshape its platform and demonstrate greater clarity of purpose.
Burnham said that it is time for everyone to be facing in the same direction and pulling in the same direction around ambitions. However, he emphasised that this unity should be built around a more progressive policy agenda.
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When asked directly if he fully supported the Prime Minister, Burnham was unequivocal: “Yes, he has my support. The government has my support, and they had my support when I put myself forward for the by-election”.
Burnham also defended his recent attempt to seek selection for the Gorton and Denton by-election, a move that was ultimately blocked by Starmer and his allies. The Mayor argued that his decision to try to return to Westminster was driven by a desire to strengthen the government’s frontbench team.
A "Liberated" Prime Minister?
The call for a renewed direction was echoed by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who used a round of morning media interviews to urge Starmer to seize the moment. Speaking to the BBC, Miliband described the Prime Minister as, "liberated", following the departure of Morgan McSweeney as the prime minister’s chief of staff on Monday.
Miliband suggested that Starmer should use his narrow escape from a leadership challenge to reshape his premiership. He hinted that the government needed to do more to show it stands behind ordinary working people suffering from the high cost of living.
Cabinet Rallies, Rivals Watch
While the cabinet has publicly rallied behind Starmer, potential leadership rivals, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, are reportedly preparing for a future contest should the Prime Minister falter.
However, following Starmer’s address to the parliamentary Labour party on Monday, most MPs leaving the meeting expressed belief that the Prime Minister’s determination to fight had bought him a fresh chance.
The momentum for change is also coming from within the party's internal structures. The soft-left Tribune group, led by close allies of Miliband, released a statement on Monday night arguing that the departure of key No. 10 figures should prompt a wider cabinet reshuffle and an end to the factionalism that has plagued the party.
As the dust settles on a turbulent few days, the message from senior figures like Burnham and Miliband is clear: the party stands behind Starmer, but the time for caution is over. They are calling for a government that is not only united but also unafraid to be ambitious.
In a speech and questions and answers session in Westminster on Tuesday, Burnham called for the party to unify and face, "in the same direction", but insisted the government must raise its ambition, particularly on housing.
His intervention came just a day after a dramatic period for the government, which saw Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar call for Starmer to resign. While the Prime Minister has since secured the backing of the full cabinet, Burnham’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among senior Labour figures that the government needs to reshape its platform and demonstrate greater clarity of purpose.
Burnham said that it is time for everyone to be facing in the same direction and pulling in the same direction around ambitions. However, he emphasised that this unity should be built around a more progressive policy agenda.
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When asked directly if he fully supported the Prime Minister, Burnham was unequivocal: “Yes, he has my support. The government has my support, and they had my support when I put myself forward for the by-election”.
Burnham also defended his recent attempt to seek selection for the Gorton and Denton by-election, a move that was ultimately blocked by Starmer and his allies. The Mayor argued that his decision to try to return to Westminster was driven by a desire to strengthen the government’s frontbench team.
A "Liberated" Prime Minister?
The call for a renewed direction was echoed by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who used a round of morning media interviews to urge Starmer to seize the moment. Speaking to the BBC, Miliband described the Prime Minister as, "liberated", following the departure of Morgan McSweeney as the prime minister’s chief of staff on Monday.
Miliband suggested that Starmer should use his narrow escape from a leadership challenge to reshape his premiership. He hinted that the government needed to do more to show it stands behind ordinary working people suffering from the high cost of living.
Cabinet Rallies, Rivals Watch
While the cabinet has publicly rallied behind Starmer, potential leadership rivals, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, are reportedly preparing for a future contest should the Prime Minister falter.
However, following Starmer’s address to the parliamentary Labour party on Monday, most MPs leaving the meeting expressed belief that the Prime Minister’s determination to fight had bought him a fresh chance.
The momentum for change is also coming from within the party's internal structures. The soft-left Tribune group, led by close allies of Miliband, released a statement on Monday night arguing that the departure of key No. 10 figures should prompt a wider cabinet reshuffle and an end to the factionalism that has plagued the party.
As the dust settles on a turbulent few days, the message from senior figures like Burnham and Miliband is clear: the party stands behind Starmer, but the time for caution is over. They are calling for a government that is not only united but also unafraid to be ambitious.
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