Starmer’s opponent enters the British Parliament

The outstanding election victory is significant because the British Labor Party recently suffered dramatic losses in regional elections in recent months. Just six weeks ago, Labor was pushed into second place in Makerfield by the right-wing populist Reform UK party.

But as much as Prime Minister Keir Starmer should have been happy about a Labor victory per se, he must have feared this moment. With Andy Burnham, Starmer’s biggest competitor is now moving into parliament as an MP.

As mayor of Manchester, the 56-year-old has positioned the northern English city as an internationally attractive business location over the past nine years. But before that, he had repeatedly had ambitions to become prime minister. However, in 2010, after Gordon Brown’s resignation, he finished fourth in the leadership race; five years later he was significantly more successful, but still came in second place behind Jeremy Corbyn.

Third attempt

Now – after Labour’s disgrace in the May council elections and Starmer’s steadily declining popularity ratings – Burnham sensed his next opportunity.

As mayor, however, Burnham has so far only sat in Manchester’s town hall, not in the British Parliament – a necessary criterion for challenging the incumbent prime minister.

How high party colleagues currently rate Burnham’s chances or at least would like a change in leadership was shown by Josh Simon’s resignation as MP for Makerfield. This triggered a by-election that could allow Burnham to return to parliament. Of course, given Labour’s downward spiral, this was a risky undertaking. But Burnham’s tireless competition, his call to “have faith” and that “a vote for me is a vote for Labor change” won over not only disappointed Labor voters, but also former Conservatives, Greens and Reform voters.

But the much bigger hurdle still lies ahead for Burnham. Starmer has repeatedly made it clear that he will not give up his post without a fight. On Friday afternoon he once again appealed to MPs not to “plunge the party and the country into chaos” through ill-considered actions.

But Burnham doesn’t let that deter him. At the afterparty in Makerfield he is said to have sang particularly fervently to Oasis’ “Half the World Away”. The central line in the Manchester band’s song: Here I go. Let’s go.