Supporters of Andy Burnham claim the Manchester mayor would establish a partnership with the Green Party and abolish first-past-the-post voting in favour of proportional representation should he replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
The assertions emerge following Labour’s crushing loss in Thursday’s Gorton and Denton by-election, which has intensified pressure on the current leadership.
Despite not holding a parliamentary seat, Mr Burnham has emerged as the preferred choice among both Labour members and the general public to lead the party.
Many Labour MPs attribute the by-election defeat to Sir Keir’s decision to prevent Mr Burnham from standing as the party’s candidate.
Polling data from Lord Ashcroft, shared with the Daily Mail, reveals that 44 per cent of voters believe the Prime Minister should step down following the by-election loss, compared to just 34 per cent who think he should remain.
The research positions Mr Burnham as the leading candidate to succeed Sir Keir, with 27 per cent rating him as the best potential Prime Minister.
His nearest rivals trail significantly, with Ed Miliband securing 8 per cent while Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting each received just 6 per cent support.
The polling also suggests a Labour-Liberal Democrat-Green coalition under Zack Polanski would defeat a Conservative-Reform UK alliance by 43 per cent to 33 per cent.
Reports indicate Mr Burnham is attempting to convince Marie Rimmer, the long-serving Labour MP for St Helens South and Whiston, to vacate her seat so he can re-enter Parliament.
One supportive MP told the Mail: “It is not a done deal yet, but we are hopeful. The implied offer is she would be able to end her career in the Lords if she does the decent thing.”
Should Labour’s National Executive Committee attempt to block his candidacy again—citing concerns about a potential Reform victory in a subsequent Manchester mayoral by-election—Mr Burnham is reportedly prepared to pursue what allies describe as the “nuclear option” of resigning his mayoral position regardless.
Mr Burnham has previously stated that replacing the traditional voting system with proportional representation could “build a more collaborative, long-culture within Westminster.”
One Labour MP backing Mr Burnham described an agreement on PR as potentially central to any Green alliance, adding that the mayor was “ideally placed” to secure such an arrangement.
However, numerous Labour parliamentarians strongly oppose the proposal, fearing it would prevent the party from ever securing an outright Commons majority again.
Angela Rayner has reportedly informed Mr Burnham privately that she would not contest the leadership if he stood, though she remains willing to enter the race to block Wes Streeting should a contest begin before Mr Burnham returns to Parliament.
Most Labour MPs expect Sir Keir will avoid any leadership challenge until after May’s local elections.
Zack Polanski’s party emerged victorious in the by-election
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PAMr Burnham dismissed the claims about his plans as “made up”.
A Green Party spokesman nonetheless welcomed his backing for electoral reform, stating: “It is the best thing for representative democracy, even if Labour are coming to it now to protect themselves against annihilation in the 2029 General Election.”