Rebuffed Burnham can return to honing his stature and attack lines
With his return to Westminster seemingly blocked, on Monday Andy Burnham will get back to the two roles to which he has devoted his time in recent years: being mayor of Greater Manchester and annoying Keir Starmer.The second is very much a part-time and unofficial role, but it is noticeable how Burnham manages to edge back into the media spotlight whenever the leader of his party is having a tough time.In 2021, when Starmer, as leader of the opposition, was suffering under Boris Johnson’s short-lived if powerful “vaccine bounce” in the polls, Burnham spoke at so many fringe events at the party’s annual conference that even his aides lost count.Burnham’s self-stated role at the gathering in Brighton, 250 miles from his mayoral base, was to offer a range of policy ideas and also – to the deep frustration of those around Starmer – remind anyone listening he was a Labour official actually exercising power.Fast forward to last autumn’s conference, and Burnham was again seemingly ubiquitous.
His flurry of events also kicked off with an interview in which Burnham breezily recounted how some Labour MPs had contacted him during the summer to ask if he would try to replace Starmer.For all that Burnham has pledged his loyalty to the prime minister, not even his close allies doubted that his decision to formally seek permission to become the candidate in the forthcoming Gorton and Denton byelection was anything but the first stage in a likely challenge.While allies of the prime minister spoke scathingly on Sunday of “Andy Burnham’s ambition” being at the centre of the plan, supporters of the mayor argue that with Starmer’s personal poll ratings dismal, Labour needs to change course if it is to prevent a Nigel Farage-led government.So what next? For all that Burnham will be aggrieved at the swift and comprehensively organised quashing of his plans by No 10, he can settle back into the role of the heir presumptive, the king over the water, the vessel for hope rather than the bearer of prosaic actuality.This also involves not having to actually fight a byelection where, notwithstanding the 13,000-plus majority enjoyed by Andrew Gwynne, the departing MP, Labour now faces a political street fight against Reform UK, the Greens and possibly a pro-Gaza independent candidate.
The news that Zack Polanski, the charismatic Green leader, will not be standing takes away some of the Green threat, but the party is hugely bullish about its chances, and could at the very least dilute Labour’s vote enough to ensure it loses,Burnham can now watch all this from his mayoral office, with allies ready to brief the media, in the event of a Labour loss, how his local popularity would have made the difference,While some of Burnham’s allure to Labour MPs has been a product of his absence from Westminster, as a mayor he has carved out a distinct if occasionally woolly left-leaning ethos, certainly more distinctive than his philosophy as an MP, where he twice unsuccessfully stood for Labour leader, in 2010 and 2015,As set out in a Guardian opinion piece only last week, what Burnham calls “Manchesterism” is a growth-based vision combining government investment and intervention with wholesale devolution, something best exemplified by the region’s Bee network, an integrated travel system taking in trains, buses, trams and bike routes,Whether this, combined with Burnham’s low-key, easy-going charisma, would be enough to turn around Labour’s polling nationally is a question to which we do not, for now, have an answer.
But with a general election as distant as mid-2029, and Starmer showing few signs of recovery, at some point we may.
RFU targets transport revamp and undercover police to sway Twickenham residents over concert plan
The Rugby Football Union is hopeful a proposed overhaul of Twickenham rail station and the deployment of undercover police officers on matchdays will help sway opponents of plans to host more concerts to pay for the £660m stadium upgrade.The union is seeking to increase the number of non-sporting events held at Twickenham each year from three to 15 in order to pay for the stadium overhaul but encountered a roadblock last year when Richmond council expressed “significant concerns” over transport links. The council also determined in October that a limit of three concerts – and only one not on a Saturday – would remain as part of its new licence amid considerable opposition from residents.On Tuesday, the RFU will seek to convince residents at a drop-in session where new plans will be revealed. The Guardian understands they include a revamp of Twickenham station which could double the number of passengers per train and the presence of “plain clothes officers” – including a mix of police and stewards – and the introduction of “civil enforcement officers” in an effort to tackle anti-social behaviour
Australian Open 2026: Shelton beats Ruud, Swiatek swats aside Inglis, Sinner defeats Darderi – as it happened
Maddison Inglis leaves Melbourne Park with a lot, including the high-end toaster she’s always wanted. There is pride, having reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open, but also disappointment. In the biggest match of the local qualifier’s career, the world No 2 Iga Swiatek proved too polished, securing a 6-0, 6-3 victory on Monday night.The result leaves no more local players in the women’s singles draw. In the men’s singles, there is only Alex de Minaur, who plays top seed Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday evening
Inglis to splash out on new toaster ‘and maybe the kettle’ after Swiatek ends Melbourne run
Maddison Inglis leaves Melbourne Park with a lot, including the high-end toaster she’s always wanted. There is pride, having reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open, but also disappointment. In the biggest match of the local qualifier’s career, the world No 2 Iga Swiatek proved too polished, securing a 6-0, 6-3 victory on Monday night.The result leaves no more local players in the women’s singles draw. In the men’s singles, there is only Alex de Minaur, who plays top seed Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday evening
Sam Darnold: after five teams and plenty of mockery, ‘Ginger Cuz’ reaches the Super Bowl
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback has endured a rocky NFL career. But in the biggest game of his career, he delivered the performance of a lifetimeMoments after clinching a Super Bowl berth, Sam Darnold strolled over for his obligatory television interview. He was thrilled; the Seattle Seahawks had just toppled the Los Angeles Rams in a 31-27 thriller. But he was also measured. Unlike receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who would follow and was teeming with emotion, Darnold simply spoke about his love for his teammates
Bangladesh boycott brings a sad reality to T20 World Cup countdown | Taha Hashim
The R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo may be hosting a one-day international series at the moment, but the real show begins in less than two weeks. The venue has been dressed with branding for the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India: a banner hangs out the front, an image of the trophy accompanied by a simple tagline: “Feel the thrill”.This, of course, is how it should be as you approach a global tournament, a real buzz as the world is welcomed on to an island. Spotted in the stadium during Sri Lanka’s second ODI against England on Saturday was a poster reading: “We will repeat 2014”, a nod to their tournament victory 12 years ago, a crowning moment for the departing Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. With Italy among the 20 teams competing, the upcoming showpiece looks like a genuinely global event unlike the more exclusive 50-over version
Spotless Pegula ends Keys’ Australian Open reign with serve of apple pie and cheese
On a podcast before her big match against Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula was discussing their battle last January in the Adelaide final. Keys’s performance, she said, had prompted her to accurately predict to their mutual friends that Keys would win the Australian Open two weeks later.It is normal for players to discuss future opponents, but they do not usually do so in conversation together. With a chuckle, Keys said: “Jess is like, ‘I hope I don’t see that level [tomorrow].’”She did not
Labour’s Burnham veto has made a tricky Manchester byelection much harder
Rebuffed Burnham can return to honing his stature and attack lines
Sajid Javid calls on Nigel Farage to apologise for alleged schoolboy racism
Starmer had no good options on Burnham – but blocking him is a big risk
Labour must avoid ‘psychodrama’, says Mahmood, as NEC meets to decide if Burnham can stand
Meet ‘Amelia’: the AI-generated British schoolgirl who is a far-right social media star