Labour’s Andrew Gwynne says he has no plans to give up seat for Andy Burnham
The former health minister Andrew Gwynne has dismissed as “idle speculation” reports he could resign his seat as part of an Andy Burnham “coup” against Keir Starmer.Allies of Burnham were reported on Sunday to have identified a shortlist of seats to allow the Greater Manchester mayor to return to Westminster in the new year.One of these seats is said to be that of Gwynne, who was suspended by the Labour party in February after a leak of offensive WhatsApp messages.One source was quoted as saying that Burnham allies had found a “nailed on” constituency, while another reportedly said a seat was “likely to come free shortly” before the local elections in May.In a post on X on Sunday, Burnham dismissed the reports as “quite a lot of rubbish”, adding: “Reminds me why I left Westminster in the first place!”However, the former health secretary – who has been critical of Starmer’s leadership – has refused repeatedly to deny he would return to parliament if the opportunity arose.
A recent poll of Labour members suggested Burham would be the most popular candidate to replace Starmer.Gwynne, 51, is undergoing treatment for serious health issues and has not returned to Westminster since he was sacked as health minister in relation to the WhatsApp messages, which he called “badly misjudged”.Speaking publicly for the first time since his dismissal, he told the Guardian that he had no intention of standing down imminently.“I can categorically say that no decision has been made on whether I stand down or fight the next general election – but I have no plans to stand down before the May elections,” said the MP for Gorton and Denton in Greater Manchester.Gwynne said Burnham was a “close family friend” and that there had been “no conversations at all with him about me standing down”.
He added: “He’s a decent guy and he knows I am poorly and there’s been no pressure from him at all.Idle speculation like this does not help.”Gwynne, a longtime Burnham ally who ran his mayoral campaign in 2016, remains under investigation by the parliamentary commissioner for standards.Labour sources played down reports that the Great Manchester mayor was “on the brink of a major breakthrough” in returning to Westminster.They pointed out that the mayor faced several hurdles before he could fight any byelection, not least being allowed by Labour’s ruling national executive committee to run as a candidate.
Some suggest Starmer would seek to block Burnham from standing for election and potentially mounting a leadership challenge, although others said this tactic would make the prime minister look weak.With Labour trailing Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in the polls by an average of 9 percentage points, party sources said virtually no seat was a guaranteed path to victory for Burnham.Gwynne, who won the seat with a 13,000-vote majority last year, is facing a challenge from Reform and the Green party as Labour loses votes nationally to the left and right of politics.Labour figures have previously told the Guardian that Burnham could arrange a “job swap” with Jim McMahon, the MP for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton, who lost his ministerial job in the reshuffle in September.The demotion is said to have frustrated McMahon, who allies said he fancied Burnham’s job as Greater Manchester mayor.
However, pollsindicate McMahon’s seat would be lost to Reform and that Labour faces losing other previously loyal voters in the constituency to pro-Palestinian independents.Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, when asked about the latest Burnham speculation, said everyone in Labour had a “role to play” in supporting the government.Speaking on Sky News on Sunday, she said: “Wherever you sit in the Labour family, we all have a role to play in supporting the Labour government deliver for the people of this country.”Burnham and McMahon have been approached for comment.
‘Every chef should train here’: Turkish restaurant ranks fourth on list of London’s top food spots
On a list of London’s best restaurants, you would expect to see the usual Michelin-starred suspects such as The Ledbury, Ikoyi and The Ritz. But high among these culinary heavyweights sits a humble salonu tucked away in the depths of north London.Neco Tantuni, a small Turkish eatery specialising in the foodie delights of Mersin, a city located on the southern coast of Turkey, has been crowned the fourth best restaurant in London by Vittles, the trendy food magazine that has become a bible for those looking for the best (and more off-the-radar) grub in the capital.“I’m totally shocked,” says Eren Kaya, whose parents hard graft has resulted in their restaurant, situated in a far-flung corner of Enfield, being placed near the top of the 99-strong list.The small shop, which was a greasy spoon cafe before being transformed into the hugely popular food hotspot, hasn’t fully shed the character of its former self
Ho, ho, Hamburg: bringing the flavours of a true German Christmas market home
From glühwein to lebkuchen, bratwurst to stollen, recreating the delicacies I sampled in the city’s festive markets is wholly achievable. Plus, a new digital cookbook for a good cause Sign up here for our weekly food newsletter, FeastWithout wanting to sound tediously Scrooge-like, the German-style markets that have become seasonal fixtures in many British cities over the last few decades never make me feel particularly festive. What’s remotely Christmassy – or German – about Dubai-chocolate churros and Korean fried chicken, I grumble as I drag the dog (who enjoys all such things) around their perimeters.Hamburg’s markets, however, which I was myself dragged around last weekend, are a very different story. For a start, the city has many of them, mainly fairly small – and some, such as the “erotic Christmas market” in St Pauli, with a particular theme
Christmas gift ideas for drinks lovers, from champagne to canned cocktails
Don’t get pulled in by silly gadgets: buy presents you’d be happy to receive yourselfThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Alcohol is an unavoidable part of a festive spread (for more advice on which wines, beers and other drinks I like for each and every occasion, take a look at last week’s Christmas drinks guide), but, sometimes, a drink deserves a place under the tree as well as around it – especially if it’s an easy win for a drinks devotee for whom you need to buy a prezzie.The Guardian’s journalism is independent
Nine bring-a-plate ideas for Christmas drinks, barbecues and dinner parties this summer – recipes
Like nibblies, the concept of bringing a plate to a social event or a host’s home can be deeply confusing across cultures and generations. Are you carting canapes? Are you slinging salad? Are you delivering dessert? If we’ve learned anything from the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, it’s that communication is key. So if you’re unsure about what your host expects, just ask.Below are nine summer-friendly recipes to suit various bring-a-plate scenarios: one-bite snacks that go with cocktails, salads to bring to barbecues and make-ahead dessert for dinner parties, arranged in each category from easiest to most ambitious.And if time is seriously short, you could throw together a pleasingly arranged antipasto-ish plate comprised of Guardian Australia’s top supermarket taste test products: crackers, feta, salami and pickles
Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband no longer called ‘chocolate’ after recipe change
Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband bars can no longer be called chocolate after Nestlé reformulated their recipes due to the increasing cost of ingredients.The Swiss conglomerate now describes the treats as being “encased in a smooth milk chocolate flavour coating”, rather than being covered in milk chocolate.In the UK, a product needs to have at least 20% cocoa solids and 20% milk solids in order to be described as milk chocolate, a level each product fell below after a higher amount of cheaper vegetable fat was used.Nestlé said the changes were necessary due to higher input costs but were “carefully developed and sensory tested”, adding there were no plans to alter the recipes of other chocolate products.A spokesperson for Nestlé said it had seen “significant increases in the cost of cocoa over the past years, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products
How to use a spent tea bag to make a boozy, fruity treat – recipe | Waste not
Save a used teabag to flavour dried fruit, then just add whisky for a boozy festive treatA jar of tea-soaked prunes with a cheeky splash of whisky is the gift you never knew you needed. Sticky, sweet and complex, these boozy treats are wonderful spooned over rice pudding, porridge, yoghurt, ice-cream or even panna cotta.Don’t waste a fresh tea bag, though – enjoy a cuppa first, then use the spent one to infuse the prunes overnight. Earl grey adds fragrant, citrus notes, builders’ tea gives a malty depth, lapsang souchong brings smokiness, and chamomile or rooibos offer softer, floral tones. It’s also worth experimenting with other dried fruits beyond prunes: apricots, figs and/or dates all work beautifully, too
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