Manchesterâs mayor has come a long way from his past as an identikit New Labour apparatchik
From left: Ed Balls, Ed Miliband, Diane Abbott, Andy Burnham and David Miliband draw lots ahead of a Labour leadership debate on the BBC in 2010. Photograph: Katie Collins/PA
From left: Ed Balls, Ed Miliband, Diane Abbott, Andy Burnham and David Miliband draw lots ahead of a Labour leadership debate on the BBC in 2010. Photograph: Katie Collins/PA
Wed 19 May 2021 11.59 EDT
Last modified on Wed 19 May 2021 12.45 EDT
Inevitably there has been speculation about the future of the current Labour leader in the face of a ruinous set of local election results for the party, including the loss of the Hartlepool byelection. Now the idea of Andy Burnham as the next leader of the party is gaining traction after an impressive performance in the Manchester mayoral election. One poll found he would be the favourite to replace Keir Starmer, ahead of Sadiq Khan.