A Cabinet minister sighed with relief, claiming that all leadership camps had agreed to a September timetable and that the parliamentary party was rallying behind Andy Burnham. But the conflict is far from over, as Keir Starmer and his allies refuse to concede defeat.
At 5pm yesterday, Andy Burnham was cleared to run in the upcoming by-election in Makerfield after an unusually swift and secret consultation of Labour's ruling NEC committee. A Labour minister revealed that the subterfuge was necessary to prevent Starmer's allies from sabotaging the process.
Downing Street had been trying to block Burnham for the past 24 hours. On Thursday, Josh Simons, the MP for Makerfield, stunned Westminster by stepping aside to allow Burnham to return to Parliament. Burnham quickly confirmed his intention to seek selection in the seat.
According to a Government source, Downing Street was gripped by 'blind panic' after the announcement. Another source noted that Simons, a former Starmer strategist, supplying the seat was 'a kick in the guts' for Starmer's team.
Initially, Starmer's allies considered blocking Burnham's selection via the NEC. However, Deputy Leader Lucy Powell, a close Burnham ally, warned Starmer that blocking Burnham would be terminal for his premiership. Powell had canvassed NEC members and trade unions, who had called for an orderly leadership transition.
Since Monday, when Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood instructed Starmer to set a departure timetable, Starmer had been determined to resist. But after speaking with Powell, Downing Street briefed the media that Starmer would allow Burnham to run freely.
Yet within No 10, a different plan emerged. Starmer's former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, coordinating Starmer's defence, furiously opposed letting Burnham run. A new operation sought to sabotage Burnham's return by pressuring NEC members to block him, while instructing them to appear independent.
A second minister confirmed the attempts to influence the NEC, calling them 'utterly mad' and warning that blocking Burnham would end Starmer's leadership. Another effort involved delaying the by-election writ, but Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds resisted pressure from Starmer allies to postpone.
The by-election is now set for June 18. Among ministers, anger grows at Starmer's duplicity and McSweeney's role. Some allies believe the game is up, with Burnham's seat being the final straw. However, a 'Bitter Ender' supporter argued that Starmer should not slink off, citing the country's problems.
Critics note that Starmer, who often touts integrity, is acting dishonourably by publicly supporting Burnham while allowing allies to undermine him. Burnham's secured seat has brought optimism to a Labour Party battered by infighting, with one MP declaring, 'Now we can end this.'
