Burnham fuels Labour leadership rumours as polls show party at record low

Andy Burnham has fuelled Labour leadership rumours by refusing to commit to serving a full term as Greater Manchester Mayor, in an interview that comes as the party grapples with a fresh polling setback.

He told BBC local radio that his 'full intention' is to remain in post until the next scheduled elections in May 2028, but he conceded he 'didn't know' whether he would seek a return to Parliament if a by-election were held in a Manchester seat. He said any return would have to be driven by calls for new leadership and warned it would not be him 'putting himself right out there again.' Burnham, who ran unsuccessfully against Jeremy Corbyn in 2015, stressed that his present plan was to see out his mayoral term, while leaving room to adapt if events change.

The remarks come amid a wider struggle within Labour as Keir Starmer seeks to stabilise the government after Angela Rayner's resignation earlier this month prompted a reshuffle that was quickly overshadowed by controversy surrounding Lord Mandelson. Several MPs have warned that Sir Keir could be out of power by May if local elections prove worse than expected, underscoring how fragile the party’s grip remains in the current climate.

There has been talk within some Labour circles that allies of Ms Rayner are exploring a joint leadership ticket with Burnham, a development that would complicate Starmer’s already precarious position. While Burnham did not rule out a return to Westminster, he also made clear that any move would have to come in a different form and not simply be a bid for immediate prominence.

Asked directly whether he would contest a by-election in Greater Manchester if one arose, Burnham replied: 'I honestly don’t know, it’s a hypothetical question.' He insisted his priority was to fulfill his current responsibilities as mayor and to keep an open mind about how political opportunities might unfold should circumstances change.

The interview reflects a broader sense of volatility swirling around Labour as the party navigates a moment of potential realignment and public discontent. A Find Out Now poll published this week put Labour on just 16 percent support, its lowest in the polling firm’s history, with Reform on 34 percent. The findings align with a bloc of surveys that show Nigel Farage’s Reform Party making unusual gains in some districts, complicating Labour’s electoral calculations as local elections approach.

Labour officials have argued that the party’s national fortunes are fragile and depend on a coherent message and stable leadership. Yet Burnham’s comments suggest that even figures seen as potential successors are testing the boundaries of what they might be willing to do to accelerate a change in leadership.

In the wake of the Rayner resignation and the Mandelson controversy, party insiders say the next steps could hinge on local election results and the internal assessment of how to reset the government’s priorities. Burnham’s statement—deliberately hedged on his long-term ambitions—adds another layer to the ongoing debate over who could lead Labour if Keir Starmer’s tenure proves untenable in the coming months.

As Westminster continues to be in flux, political watchers will be watching closely for any signals that Burnham intends to pursue a trajectory beyond his current mayoral role, or that a reconfiguration of Labour’s leadership landscape could emerge from the by-election calendar or a broader shift in party dynamics.