Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham is the current Mayor of Greater Manchester, a prominent figure in the Labour Party, and a former Member of Parliament. He's newsworthy due to recent events surrounding the Gorton and Denton byelection. Burnham reportedly sought to return to Westminster by standing as a Labour candidate in the byelection, but Labour's ruling body, including Keir Starmer, overwhelmingly blocked his application. This decision has ignited a Labour party dispute, with Burnham accusing Downing Street sources of lying about the situation. The blocking of Burnham has fueled speculation about a potential leadership challenge to Starmer, and renewed focus on other potential successors like Angela Rayner. Despite this setback, Burnham intends to pursue future opportunities to return to Westminster. The situation highlights internal tensions within the Labour Party and raises questions about Starmer's leadership and the party's direction.