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Is a Labour leadership challenge a realistic prospect?
(www.thetimes.com)
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this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2025
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UK Politics
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Andy Burnham can't be a candidate for MP, he doesn't even have a seat. So he'd have to find a seat in a recently vacated constituency, and I don't think they're currently is any, win that seat, and then immediately challenge Starmer for leadership despite not having a cabinet position.
I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's extremely unlikely for all those things to happen before 2030.
Also he's relatively unknown outside of Manchester. So he'd have to have a big PR drive.
Is he? The king in da naaarth? Unknown? That's virtually regicide you're talking, fella!
Well apparently I'm not from the north because when I ask my parents about him they said who? So he obviously doesn't have as much reach.
I'm about as southern as you can get. Yet know about him. As far as I can tell. Pretty much anyone with more then minimal interest in politics would recognise his name. Certainly anyone within Labour as his name as come up for leadership a few times.
@echodot @frankPodmore
I think he's very widely known among the left. I live in France and I know who he is.
He'd make a far better PM than Starmer.
@echodot @frankPodmore
I believe there is a safe (safe'ish) labour seat in Manchester where the current Labour MP may "chose" to resign on grounds like ill-health
That takes care of being an MP - everything else depends on whether the right of labour continue to prefer the prospect of defeat to the prospect of compromising with the left of the party
I suspect the right of Labour would prefer death to anything close to socialism
Technically. While it's very much assumed. And has never happened in modern history.
That being an MP is required is very debatable. Parliamentary rules state must site in commons But that is not the same as representing a constituency. The siting rule relates more to it no longer allowing a member of lords. As it did historically.
Labour rules require the leader to be an MP. As dose the Conservatives. But parliament only assumes the PM will lead the party. It is not a requirement. Not to mention Labours leadership is very able to change rules when wanted.
It's never happened and likely never will. But the only real rules are a PM must exist. They must have the confidence of parliament. And are required to sit/occupy parliament. Not having the right to vote would Def cause issues. But it's fun to consider how messed up parliamentary rules Vs traditions etc can get.
Within the party, he's very well-known, and running for PM is its own PR drive! But yeah, you are correct that the obstacles are considerable.
I wonder how many of his supporters are actually registered with the party. Traditionally there's not been a lot of point registering with labour, them not being in power for so long.
Also it'd be unlikely Starmer would endorse him so even if there was a free constituency, how would he get to be a labour candidate?
Yeah, the leadership have a pretty tight grip on who gets to run. If they suspect Burnham's coming back to Westminster in order to take down the leadership, they can just block him from the candidacy. That comes with its own risks, but it's obviously the best way to protect the leadership, so that's what they'll do!