David Lammy has warned Andy Burnham and others not to “rock the boat” by making moves to challenge Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour Party.
Calling the mayor of Greater Manchester “a dear friend”, the deputy prime minister said he would not give him advice, amid speculation he will seek a Commons comeback by standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, but cautioned that parties that “air their dirty linen in public… usually are a huge turn off to the electorate”.
He said any change of leader would “probably” mean Labour, which is currently trailing Nigel Farage’s Reform in the polls, would be forced to call an early election.
His comments come amid threats from Labour backbenchers that Sir Keir “will face a severe backlash” that could “hasten his departure” if he tries to block Mr Burnham from running in the upcoming by-election in his political backyard.
Mr Burnham could attempt to make his bid to return to Westminster as an MP, a prerequisite for the job of prime minister, after a Greater Manchester MP announced he would quit the Commons on Thursday.
Andrew Gwynne said he would stand down as the MP for Gorton and Denton, citing “significant ill health”.
But for Mr Burnham, who has yet to comment, to become the candidate, he would have to be approved by Labour’s national executive committee (NEC), widely viewed as under the control of Sir Keir’s supporters.
Asked about Mr Burnham’s potential return to Westminster, Mr Lammy said: “What I would say is this, and I do feel this very strongly, all of us are in the business of Labour politics and all of us have got to be seen to be getting on with serving working people. And parties that air their dirty linen in public, that fight and bitch and moan, usually are a huge turn off to the electorate…
“Please let us not rock the boat and blow it, which Labour governments have done throughout their history. That was why Labour was only in power in the 20th century for 22 years. Let’s not make that mistake.”
He added: “I don’t know if Andy really wants to get back into Westminster politics. He may do, and there’s much merit to him. But I would caution those often around folk that start to destabilise the ship and say that we can have a new leader. No, we can’t. Because immediately you’d be forced to have an election, premature probably…”
Labour MPs and union leaders have warned against using the party’s ruling national executive committee to block Mr Burnham from standing.
Jo White, who chairs the Red Wall group of Labour MPs, said: “Let the North decide who their Labour candidate should be for the Gorton and Denton by-election. A London stitch-up will be a disaster for Labour.”
And Crewe and Nantwich MP Connor Naismith said: “Gorton and Denton deserves the best possible choice of candidates. I agree with the Prime Minister that our attention should be on delivering for the public, not speculating about future leadership contests. Any decision made to limit the choice would be wrong.”
Unison’s Andrea Egan said “we’ve seen enough control-freakery in the Labour Party and it has done our movement nothing but harm”, while Steve Wright, of the Fire Brigades Union, said it would be a “democratic outrage if Andy Burnham was blocked from seeking selection”.
On Friday, health minister Stephen Kinnock insisted the process would be the same as any other candidate selection.