Labour Party Faces Mounting Internal Tensions and Leadership Speculation
Sir Keir Starmer is confronting escalating internal jockeying within the Labour Party as his former deputy, Angela Rayner, actively pushes for a return to the political frontline. This infighting threatens to intensify while the Prime Minister is away on diplomatic duties in China, coinciding with the party bracing for a potential by-election humiliation in the Gorton & Denton constituency.
Angela Rayner's Political Resurgence and Leadership Ambitions
Ms Rayner, who served as Sir Keir's deputy until her forced resignation in September over unpaid tax issues, has been steadily raising her public profile once again. Close allies have been briefing that she would actively consider throwing her hat into the ring for the party leadership should Wes Streeting, who is perceived as being on the right of the Labour Party, mount a significant challenge.
According to reports from The Times, Ms Rayner utilised a fundraising event last week to praise certain Labour achievements, including the establishment of school breakfast clubs and the abolition of the controversial two-child benefit cap. However, she struck a notably reflective tone, stating, 'We've done some things wrong. We should be humble enough to accept when we've made mistakes. We should do better, and we should do more.'
Asserting her continued political relevance, Ms Rayner insisted she was 'not dead yet' and vowed to be 'part of the journey' of confronting the challenge posed by Reform UK. She framed the political battle as a fundamental choice, saying, 'We have a threat that looms, about whether we divide our country, whether we turn in on ourselves, whether we blame somebody else. Or whether we do the collective, which is what our movement and our party is about.' She added with determination, 'I'm going to be part of that journey because I ain't giving up ... I ain't giving those keys to No 10 to Nigel Farage.'
By-Election Fears and Escalating Tensions with Andy Burnham
Simultaneously, tensions are running exceptionally high between Downing Street and Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester. This follows Sir Keir spearheading a decisive move to block Mr Burnham from becoming the Labour candidate in the upcoming Gorton & Denton by-election, scheduled for February 26th.
In an extraordinary development, Mr Burnham has publicly accused Number 10 of dishonesty regarding whether he was warned in advance that the party's ruling National Executive Committee would prevent him from standing. Both the Reform Party and the Greens have pledged to commit significant resources to the contest, with some Labour insiders privately fearing the party could finish in a humiliating third place.
Sir Keir Starmer's Response and Defence of Labour's Position
Speaking to reporters while en route to China, the Prime Minister attempted to downplay the growing alarm within party ranks. He urged left-wing voters not to lend their support to the Greens, framing the contest as a direct battle against Reform.
'There's only one party to stop Reform and that's the Labour party,' Sir Keir insisted. He argued the by-election would be fundamentally about 'Labour values' and 'delivering on the cost of living', highlighting what he described as a 'strong record in that constituency of what we've already done'.
He went on to criticise the opposition directly, stating, 'You can see from their candidate what politics they're going to bring to that constituency, the politics of division, of toxic division, of tearing people apart. That's not what that constituency is about, it's not what Manchester is about, so this is a straight fight between Labour and Reform and there's only one party that can stop the politics of Reform in the by election and that's the Labour Party.'
Future of Party Relationships and Devolution Dynamics
When questioned on whether he would welcome Andy Burnham back as a Member of Parliament once his term as Greater Manchester Mayor concludes in 2028, Sir Keir offered a measured response, saying, 'Well that's a matter for Andy.'
He reflected positively on their past working relationship, noting they had 'worked really well together' during their time in Parliament a decade ago and hailed Mr Burnham as 'one of our flagship devolution stories'. Sir Keir also shared that the 'first call' he made after learning of last year's attack on a synagogue in Manchester was to Mr Burnham, and highlighted their recent collaboration on the Northern Powerhouse Rail project.
Concluding his remarks on the Mayor, Sir Keir stated, 'As to what he wants to do when he's not Mayor of Manchester anymore, that's a matter for Andy, but he's doing a first class job.' This ongoing saga underscores the complex internal dynamics and significant electoral challenges facing the Labour Party as it navigates leadership speculation, devolution disputes, and the threat from rival political movements.
