Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has openly addressed criticisms from Labour colleagues regarding his challenges to party leader Keir Starmer during a recent Labour party conference. Burnham vehemently rejected accusations of launching a pre-emptive 'putsch' against Starmer, stating that such criticisms 'stick in my throat'. This comes amidst a conference dominated by speculation surrounding Starmer’s leadership, with Burnham emerging as a central figure in the debate.

Speaking at a live recording of the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast in Liverpool, Burnham was non-committal when asked about discussions with Labour MPs concerning a return to Westminster and a potential leadership challenge. However, he also sought to de-escalate tensions with Downing Street, asserting his inability to launch a leadership campaign while serving as mayor. He emphasized his efforts to ensure the conference's success and expressed frustration at what he perceived as unfair comments from newer party members.

The speculation about Burnham's leadership ambitions was partly fueled by an interview where he revealed that Labour MPs had contacted him over the summer regarding a possible bid. Despite this, he attempted to quell rumors by stating, 'I can’t launch a leadership campaign, I’m not in parliament. So that’s the bottom line.' When pressed on conversations with colleagues, he maintained discretion, noting he has 'many conversations with MPs.'

Burnham’s comments also came shortly after Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor, seemingly criticized his previous remarks about the UK's financial reliance on bond markets. Reeves, in her speech, highlighted the unsustainability of government spending one in every £10 on debt interest. Burnham countered, arguing that 'If you change the way things are run, you can make public money go further' and dismissed the notion that he lacked understanding of economic management. He also dismissed a call from former cabinet colleague Alan Johnson to rule out a leadership tilt, citing Johnson's own past disloyalty to Jeremy Corbyn and asserting the need to articulate ideas to counter Reform UK's growing influence.

The Mayor urged Starmer to adopt a more radical approach to help Labour retain seats in upcoming local and devolved elections across the UK. He suggested that, much like the populist right, Labour needs to put 'big ideas on the table' without pandering. Burnham outlined several key economic policy changes he would advocate for, including rewriting fiscal rules to facilitate investment, scrapping the two-child benefit cap, imposing a land value tax, and launching a review of council tax. He clarified his stance on bond markets, explaining he sought a modification of the debt rule to allow for more capital investment, rather than simply borrowing billions more.

Furthermore, Burnham voiced his disagreement with two other central government policies: the introduction of digital ID cards, which he deemed 'Not now,' and the refusal to rule out rejoining the EU. On the latter, he expressed a personal desire to see the UK rejoin the European Union within his lifetime, emphasizing his belief in the benefits of 'unions of all kinds' for prosperity. His presence at the conference, particularly in his birth city of Liverpool, generated significant interest, with party members and the public seeking interactions. Despite his efforts to cool leadership talk by reiterating his commitment to the Greater Manchester mayoral role, his mixed messages have ensured that the 'king of the north' and Starmer remain in a holding pattern for now, with Burnham advocating for a change in strategy to combat the threat from Reform UK.