Summary
Andrew Gwynne has said he will resign as an MP over his ill health, paving the way for Andy Burnham to potentially return to parliament – unless the Greater Manchester mayor is blocked by Keir Starmer. On Thursday, Gwynne reached a settlement with the Commons that would allow him to retire, which would trigger a byelection. Burnham is said to be seeking a return to parliament to stand for the Labour leadership if there is a challenge to Starmer, but was thought to have limited options for a byelection in the north-west.
Keir Starmer met with the Danish prime minister at Chequers today, one day after Donald Trump walked bck his tariff threats but maintained his desire to take control of Greenland. The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, thanked Starmer for supporting Denmark in the sovereignty dispute.
In more Trump news, the UK declined to join the US president’s Board of Peace, with Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, expressing concern over the invitation extended to Vladimir Putin to join.
Back in the UK, 29 councils will be allowed to cancel local elections planned for May because of reorganisation, said Steve Reed, the housing, communities and local government secretary. The decision was met with criticism from the Tory, Liberal Democrat and Reform UK parties, who accused Labour of “running scared” and being afraid of losing at the polls. Reform UK said it planned on legally challenging the decision.
For a full list of all the stories covered on the blog today, do scroll through the list of key event headlines near the top of the blog.
Andy Burnham’s road back to parliament would be a bumpy one
If Andy Burnham has a road back to parliament to challenge Keir Starmer as Labour leader, it is a road with 6ft-deep potholes. With the right vehicle, it may be possible – but there are points at which any brave traveller might think about turning back.
For Burnham to run in Andrew Gwynne’s seat of Gorton and Denton, he would first have to stand down as mayor of Greater Manchester. This in itself is no small decision for a seat he may not get selected to fight. He would potentially cost the authority millions in running a mayoral byelection – and the party a significant sum to fight it.
Then he faces the challenge of getting selected by a panel of the party’s ruling national executive committee. Four NEC members who spoke to the Guardian gave his chances of being selected by that body as “zero”.
Starmer and Burnham have personal animosity, but that is nothing compared with the cold fury that senior figures in No 10 feel towards Burnham for what they see as his openly planning a coup against the prime minister.
