Independent readers were divided over John Curtice’s assessment that Andy Burnham represents Labour’s best chance of keeping Nigel Farage out of Downing Street, after Britain’s leading pollster warned that a change of party leadership in 2026 would not be a surprise.
Many argued that Burnham’s appeal stems from his role outside Westminster, warning that his popularity could diminish if he returned to frontline national politics.
Commenters highlighted the practical and political obstacles facing any leadership challenge, including the difficulty of Burnham re-entering parliament and the risks of destabilising Labour while Reform UK continues to gain ground.
Others defended Keir Starmer, stressing that Labour inherited a damaged economy and depleted public services after 14 years of Conservative rule, and that expectations of rapid improvement were unrealistic.
Starmer’s critics argued that Burnham would be a more effective political operator, particularly in the north of England, though others doubted he represented a clear ideological departure from the current leadership.
Across our community, there was widespread concern about Labour losing support to the Greens on the left, fragmentation of the vote, and the long-term risk that disillusionment could ultimately benefit Reform UK.
Here’s what you had to say:
Burnham isn’t available
Burnham isn’t available. He’s not an MP. Even if he could find a safe seat (and voters may not take kindly to being used as pawns in a political game), it would take weeks to hold a by-election, and even longer to launch a leadership challenge, after which he’d face the same challenges as Starmer but with less experience of the top job.
I suspect that he is popular precisely because he’s the challenger, and if he became PM, this would wear off quickly. There’s an anti-politics mood at the moment in which people are inclined to lash out at the incumbent government or PM just because they are in power, not because of who they are or what they do.
Tanaquil2
We need a new question
If Burnham is the answer, we need a new question. He was a fairly underwhelming government minister in the 2000s. I don’t remember him achieving anything of note. He somehow manages to come across as both bland and vain. I think Labour can do a lot better than this.
Eviltriplets
Best person to handle Trump
Burnham may be the better leader. But Starmer is still the best person to handle Trump and get the trade deals and investment we need. With the new tech coming through, this issue will have a bigger impact on our future than any other issue. Once that’s done, maybe then put Burnham in for the next election.
Ajames
Popular in the North
Burnham is popular in the North – and needs to be taken seriously – as government from London is not.
Much of the North seems alien to southerners, especially the “true” North: Cumbria, County Durham, and Northumberland.
Suney
Haemorrhaging voters
Burnham, just like Wes Streeting, is not on the left any more than Starmer is, and replacing Starmer with either of these two, or anyone from Labour Together, will continue the haemorrhaging of left voters to the Green Party and, in the near future, to socialist Your Party.
The trade union leadership, including at the TUC, by sticking with the increasingly right-wing Labour Party leadership, risk losing the working class completely and consigning the labour movement in its current form to the dustbin of history.
NotaWinstonin1984
What on earth could Burnham do?
What on earth could Burnham do that is not being done already? Admittedly, Starmer is not a fun guy with Boris Johnson’s charisma, but he has made good progress in many areas and the election will be determined by results. Labour achieved only 34 per cent of the popular vote, so from the start were in an impossible position in the popularity stakes and a new leader will not change that.
If Farage gets into No 10, it will be down to his billionaire backers and the naivety of those who believe that the first priority of those billionaires is lifting the poor out of poverty.
Frankie
Stick with Starmer
Labour should stick with Starmer until at the very least the May elections. He is performing well on the world stage, he is coming across better in the media – and he also seems like a decent man. Labour inherited a complete and utter mess and answers don’t come quickly. They have made mistakes, but look at the alternatives! (Lib Dems excepted.)
If there were a successor, then there is one person I’ve been impressed with – John Healey.
TK62
A succession of ever-worse leaders
Starmer is the elected leader; it is the Parliamentary Labour Party’s choice. Second-guessing is all well and good, but do we want a succession of ever-worse leaders like the Tory Party with Bozo? Stability is needed.
Labour inherited a mess created by over a decade of bickering and austerity in that party.
Red Dragon
One of the few attractive Labour politicians
He is certainly one of the (now very few) attractive Labour politicians, but I wonder how much from his past would be dragged up and damage his appeal.
And, of course, he has a difficult journey to become an MP first. In fact, his coming out on top works in Starmer’s favour, as few Labour MPs will want to take the risks.
Simplesimon
Burnham just needs to be better at politics
A hypothetical Prime Minister Burnham wouldn’t have to be more inspired than Starmer, just better at politics. Starmer lacks communication skills and the ability to keep his cabinet in order. The Budget leaks were an egregious example of the latter.
He keeps making mistakes, as do we all, but he never seems to raise his game as a result.
The biggest barrier to fixing this is that his cabinet ministers and loyalist MPs are as tin-eared as he is. In a leadership contest, they’d probably elect another dud like Streeting or Shabana Mahmood.
Zandeman
Overnight fixes
The Tories had 14 years in power to trash the economy and destroy public services.
People are so used to next-day deliveries on Amazon that they seem to be under the impression that everything can be done overnight, and seem to believe that because Labour hasn’t managed to repair all of the damage wrought by the Conservative Party (including those who then jumped ship to Reform plc, the private company masquerading as a political party), they’re therefore failing.
WellActually
Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.
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