Will Andy Burnham return to parliament – and what would it mean for Keir Starmer?

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Pippa Crerar Political editorJanuary 24, 2026 at 08:28 PM

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AI Summary

long article 4 min

The article discusses the possibility of Andy Burnham, the current Mayor of Greater Manchester, returning to Parliament via the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection. This prospect is stirring debate within the Labour Party, with some believing Burnham's return would strengthen the party while others view it as a challenge to Keir Starmer's leadership. Burnham has stated he would support the government, but skepticism remains about his true intentions. Starmer's allies have reportedly launched a campaign to prevent Burnham's candidacy, citing the financial strain a mayoral byelection would place on party resources. The Labour Party's National Executive Committee (NEC) will ultimately decide whether Burnham can run.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Fabian Society 30% Morgan McSweeney 40% London 40% Britain 40% Greater Manchester 50% Gorton and Denton 50% Lucy Powell 60% National Executive Committee (NEC) ×370% Keir Starmer ×580% Andy Burnham ×890% Labour Party ×590%

Keywords

andy burnham 100% keir starmer 90% labour party 80% leadership challenge 70% parliament return 70% byelection 60% party leadership 50% political strategy 50% internal politics 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.20

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Gorton and Denton

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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andy burnham keir starmer labour party leadership challenge parliament return byelection party leadership political strategy internal politics

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