It seems like a contest reminiscent of Game of Thrones is unfolding in Westminster. Despite being in power just a year ago, the government’s controversial behavior appears to have eroded public support.
Last summer, the Labour Party surged to a majority, largely due to public anger over the Conservative Party’s mismanagement. Interestingly, the Conservatives managed to secure a majority despite receiving half a million fewer votes than in the 2019 election, thanks to the peculiarities of the UK voting system.
As Labour finds itself challenged by Nigel Farage’s populist Reform Party less than a year after the Tory-led governance, some members within Labour are beginning to question their leadership, seeking a more pronounced left-wing direction to rejuvenate the party.
The first significant figure to voice interest in challenging the leader was Manchester’s mayor, Andy Burnham, who criticized the prime minister as a “split” and mentioned that Labour lawmakers are urging him to contest the leadership.
Burnham, who has connections to the Tony Blair era and served under Gordon Brown’s socialist government, has spent the last decade pivoting away from London’s issues while in Manchester.
He suggested that a Labour government should prioritize nationalization efforts to bring housing, energy, and water sectors under state control.
Regarding his potential ambitions for Downing Street, Burnham remarked, “If you’re asking if I miss the old ways of doing things in Westminster with little change, well… I think that’s a complicated question.” He continued, “[But] are you ready to collaborate with someone who wants to enact plans to turn the country around? I’m open to playing any role in that process because the challenges we face are increasingly urgent.”
Burnham’s comments come just ahead of a Labour Party gathering in Liverpool. Meanwhile, the party is set to elect a new deputy leader after Angela Rayner, the former housing minister and deputy prime minister, was compelled to resign following issues with unpaid property taxes on her second home.
Burnham’s move seems to position him as a viable contender for leadership if the opportunity arises.
Labour currently holds parliamentary control, and with no election required until 2029, the prime minister’s position seems precarious. Recent polls indicate that a significant portion of voters (54%) believe he should resign, including around a third (34%) of those who voted Labour in 2024.
When it comes to potential replacements within Labour, the polls show Burnham leading with 13%, followed by Health Secretary Wes Street at 5%.
There’s also speculation about former Labour leader Ed Miliband potentially seeking to reclaim leadership, despite his earlier term being viewed as less effective.
However, whether Burnham’s nationalization focus or Miliband’s green initiatives could effectively revive Labour amidst the rise of Farage’s Reform Party remains uncertain, especially in light of growing frustrations over immigration policies from the established parties in Westminster.
Farage has hinted that Labour may need to call for new elections by 2027 and has pledged to develop a strategy to take control of the government by then.
