SIR Keir Starmer’s allies were scrambling to extinguish a fresh mutiny threat after blocking Andy Burnham’s return to Westminster.
Labour has been plunged into a new bout of factional warfare after the Prime Minister denied the Manchester Mayor the chance to stand in an upcoming by-election.
Downing Street rushed to schedule the Gorton and Denton contest on February 26 — the earliest possible date — to avoid a months-long damaging campaign.
The bookies have the Greens and Reform in a two-horse race and Labour slumped to third after Mr Burnham was blocked by the party National Executive Committee.
Sir Keir has been warned he will be blamed if the party is defeated in a traditional stronghold.
Left-wing MPs sharpened their knives after the PM led the charge to stop his main rival returning to Parliament — where he could mount a leadership challenge.
READ MORE ON BURNHAM REVOLT
Backbencher Kim Johnson told Times Radio: “This just plays into the level of factionalism that has been inherent in this party for too long and it has to stop.
“And Keir Starmer now needs to consider his own position as leader of this party.”
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell had a message for Sir Keir: “Do not underestimate the depth of anger people will feel about this disgusting decision.
“If you think it strengthens you, I tell you it will simply hasten your demise. You could have shown magnanimous leadership but instead it’s cowardice.”
Senior No10 figures are confident the rebellion is so far contained to the “usual suspects” on the left of the party.
One said: “These people have never been fans of Keir, and never will be.”
Downing Street thinks the gamble to thwart Mr Burnham’s potential Westminster comeback has so far paid off amid a successful operation to rally loyalist support.
MP David Taylor, a No10 supporter, claimed his critical colleagues “don’t represent a majority view — they’re just the same fringe group who always complain”.
What’s my message to MPs? Come up to Manchester. We’ve got a by-election about to happen. We need your help — the Greater Manchester way is built on togetherness
Andy Burnham
Fellow Starmer ally John Slinger said that the “quick and clear decision” meant Labour could “move on from the damaging, introspection and psychodrama of the last week” and pull together behind the eventual candidate.
Sir Keir yesterday praised Mr Burnham for doing a “great job” in Manchester but said the party needed to focus on upcoming local elections, not a mayoral contest.
He said: “Having an election for the Mayor of Manchester when it’s not necessary would divert our resources away from the elections that we must have, that we must fight and win.
“And resources, whether that’s money or people, need to be focused on the elections that we must have, not elections that we don’t have to have. And that was the basis of the NEC decision.”
Following his desired route back to Parliament being shut off, Mr Burnham said on Sunday he was disappointed.
Yesterday, he declined to tear into the PM as he appeared at an event about education reforms.
He said: “What’s my message to MPs? Come up to Manchester. We’ve got a by-election about to happen. We need your help — the Greater Manchester way is built on togetherness.
“We don’t here have a politics that’s about pitting people one from another.”
While Mr Burnham is divisive in Westminster, he is popular in Manchester and would likely have won the Gorton and Denton by-election.
There would have been three months of psychodrama. Who’s up? Who’s down? Who’s getting on with who? Who’s standing against who? Would that have been in the best interest of the Labour Party? I don’t think it would have
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander on Burnham return
The poll was sparked after former minister Andrew Gwynne quit on medical grounds after an 11-month suspension over leaked WhatsApp messages.
He won the seat with a majority of 13,413 in 2024, with Reform in second place.
Coral bookies have Nigel Farage’s Reform and Zack Polanski’s Greens as the two favourites to win the seat, with Labour in third.
Coral’s John Hill said: “Our odds suggest it’s likely to be a two-horse race between the Greens and Reform. The decision to deny Burnham the chance to stand is likely to hurt Labour’s chances.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is now viewed as the most viable successor to Sir Keir if a coup is launched after May’s local elections.
Ex-Deputy PM Angela Rayner is popular with Labour members but is still tarnished by her tax issue.
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander yesterday said allowing Mr Burnham to come back would have caused months of mayhem.
He said: “There would have been three months of psychodrama. Who’s up? Who’s down? Who’s getting on with who? Who’s standing against who? Would that have been in the best interest of the Labour Party? I don’t think it would have.”
