Don't underestimate peril for Labour, says Burnham

In a fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference, Andy Burnham has warned against "underestimating the peril the party is in." At the Liverpool conference, the Mayor of Greater Manchester reiterated his support for Sir Keir Starmer's leadership and told the audience he would not shy away from discussing Labour's future. Burnham said Labour should not be "narrow and shallow" amid a backlash from MPs and that a "climate of fear" exists. In the opinion polls, Labour is trailing Reform, which suggests there will be losses in the Welsh Senedd and local elections next year.

The Prime Minister will frame some of the party's dividing lines with Reform for much of this week's conference. At a fringe meeting for the Re:State think tank, Burnham said he was clear that he wanted to "start a discussion about direction and getting a plan to defeat Reform." Many councillors, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), and members of the Senedd were "right in front of their eyes," he said, with upcoming elections set for May 2026.

"I do think we need a story for this government that engages more with people," he said. "I don't think we should be able to attend this conference and not be able to discuss some of the party's biggest issues. I would say those out there calling for simple statements of loyalty are underestimating some of the danger that the party faces in the forthcoming national elections next year."

At a separate fringe event, Burnham criticised the Labour leadership's handling of opposition, saying that party members were "suspended for supporting a tweet by another political party" or "a Member of Parliament loses the whip for attempting to safeguard disability benefits."

"One thing I am worried about, and I suspect we should discuss at this conference, is how can you have an open debate about all of these topics if there is so much fear within our party and the way the party is being run?" He also stated that he wanted to "support the government" and that the Prime Minister should succeed. Many Labour MPs believe Burnham has gone too far in recent days, although many acknowledge that opinion polls point to a bleak future for Labour and the Prime Minister. However, those who hoped Burnham would rule out a future leadership bid have so far been disappointed.

At another conference event, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said that if Labour "had listened to our MPs, we'd have avoided some of the mistakes of the previous year." He added, "We've got to have the confidence to listen." Burnham also appeared on the BBC's Westminster Hour, saying, "We need all our star players on the pitch."

"We want everybody to be involved and supporting Keir, the captain, not undermining the captain," he said.

Earlier this week, Alan Johnson, who served as a cabinet minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, dismissed Burnham's remarks on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. Recounting how colleagues advised him to run against Gordon Brown for Prime Minister in 2009, he gave "a little bit of advice for Andy. Do what I did, go and find a television camera, stand in front of it, and say, 'I have no intention of standing against the country's elected leader.'"

Sir Keir attempted to debunk the rumours surrounding his leadership, claiming he had a five-year mandate. "Comments about leaders and leadership are part of being in politics," he said. "Every leader gets it, especially at a conference; it's always out there because it's in the job description."

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