Burnham Team Targets PM by Autumn Conference; Survation Poll Favours Him
Andy Burnham’s supporters say he will push to become Prime Minister in time to address Labour’s autumn conference in Liverpool, The Guardian reported. Analysis by Survation shared with the newspaper suggests that with Burnham as the candidate Labour would narrowly beat Reform UK by 45% to 43% in Makerfield, compared with a non-Burnham Labour candidate attracting 27% versus 53% for Reform. Burnham is expected to set out his “Manchesterism” vision next week.
Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell, who will lead the party’s by-election campaign, told The Guardian: “Should he be our candidate, Andy’s story, Andy’s narrative, Andy’s connection to the place will absolutely be at the forefront of it all. He is very much what keeps a seat like that in play for us.” A close Burnham adviser, Neal Lawson, said: “He appeals to both Green voters and Reform voters, and no one else does it.” The Survation modelling extrapolated from local-election results and Gorton and Denton by-election survey data; the contest itself is expected on Thursday 18 June.