Andy Burnham pulls out of keynote speech amid rumours of Starmer challenge after local election results
The Labour heavyweight is rumoured to be planning a fresh bid to become Labour leader after an expected punishing in the local election results
Potential Labour leadership challenger Andy Burnham has pulled out of a keynote speech scheduled for Friday.
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Andy Burnham was billed to speak at the Festival of Childhood in Manchester tomorrow, but has now pulled out of the event.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester has long been rumoured to be preparing a bid to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
It emerged last week that Burnham was preparing a "credible plan" for another Westminster return in order to oust Sir Keir.
The Labour heavyweight was blocked from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February, in what was expected to be a prelude to a tilt at Downing Street.
The Guardian reported that the Manchester Mayor identified several seats where MPs were prepared to step aside, triggering a by-election which could pave the way for his return to Parliament, The Guardian has reported.
Burnham is not an MP, and would have to be voted into a seat before he can run for leadership of the Labour Party. He sparked anger from some Labour politicans on Wednesday for planning to appear at a progressive Change:Now rally alongside Green party candidates.
Burnham's leadership challenge hinges on Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) who have the power to block him from standing as a Labour candidate.
The NEC said worries about the costs of running a new Manchester mayoral elections and fear that Reform could take the mayoralty were behind the decision to block Mr Burnham in Gorton and Denton.