Manchester mayor Andy Burnham could be preparing to challenge Keir Starmer for PM, with a sitting MP allegedly ready to stand down to let him back into Parliament.
The Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester is an outspoken critic of government despite being in the same party as his Prime Minister, and is a fierce supporter of Lucy Powell in the race to become Labour Deputy Leader.
Powell is widely seen as the anti-Starmer candidate, and is pipped to be one half of a two-horse race against Cabinet member and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
Speculation is building around Burnham as pressure on Sir Keir rises following the departure of former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and US ambassador Lord Mandelson.
Burnham has now put his weight behind new Labour movement Mainstream, a new network of party figures who are critical of Starmer and, more broadly, government.
