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Good morning. It\u2019s been a torrid summer of getting screamed at, dumped on and generally run ragged by those who wouldn\u2019t even be there without you. But enough about my paternity leave: today\u2019s newsletter is about Keir Starmer\u2019s wobbling Labour leadership, and the man some of his own MPs want to replace him in No 10.<\/p>\n
In some ways, Andy Burnham is not an obvious candidate to replace Starmer: he is a throwback to a past Labour era, a figure once viewed as an uber-Blairite, and he\u2019s not even an MP. But in the last couple of weeks, without any explicit challenge, the Greater Manchester mayor has been strikingly prominent. The resignation of senior aide Paul Ovenden yesterday, over offensive messages he sent about Diane Abbott in 2017, will have done little to soothe those sceptical of Starmer\u2019s intent to use the visit of Donald Trump to reset his premiership \u2013 and story after story has suggested that Burnham is working quietly, but doggedly, to capitalise.<\/p>\n
First, though, he has to find a seat. Today\u2019s newsletter, with the Guardian\u2019s political editor Pippa Crerar<\/strong><\/em>, is about Burnham\u2019s mysterious manoeuvres \u2013 and what they might mean for Labour\u2019s future. Here are the headlines.<\/p>\n Far right<\/strong><\/em> | Downing Street has fiercely condemned Elon Musk for using \u201cdangerous and inflammatory\u201d language, after he told a crowd of protesters in London that \u201cviolence is coming\u201d and \u201cyou either fight back or you die\u201d. Police are looking for 11 people suspected of committing violent disorder at the march and have charged eight others.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n UK politics<\/strong><\/em> | The MP Danny Kruger has defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK, declaring the Tory party \u201cis over\u201d and Nigel Farage is the \u201cnew custodian\u201d of conservatism and the political right\u2019s \u201clast hope\u201d of governing Britain.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n UK news<\/strong><\/em> | Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, who caused the death of their newborn baby after taking her to live in a tent in wintry conditions to evade social services, have each been sentenced to 14 years in prison.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Technology<\/strong> <\/em>| Jamieson Greer, a US trade representative, said on Monday that Washington and Beijing have struck a framework agreement on transferring TikTok to US-controlled ownership.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Espionage <\/strong><\/em>| The UK government says it is \u201cextremely disappointed\u201d by a decision to drop charges of spying for China against two men, one of whom was a parliamentary aide. Prosecutor Tom Little told the Old Bailey that \u201cwe simply cannot continue to prosecute\u201d Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, without giving any reason for the decision.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n <\/span>Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner.<\/span> Photograph: Temilade Adelaja\/Reuters<\/p>\n Andy Burnham ran to be Labour leader in 2010, and again five years later, so it would be hard to say that his leadership ambitions now are completely opportunistic. \u201cThe thing that\u2019s different about Burnham from most candidates is that he\u2019s never denied it,\u201d Pippa said. \u201cThe usual response if they\u2019re asked is to say that there isn\u2019t a vacancy. But he decided quite early on to be more honest about it. He\u2019s said that he wouldn\u2019t have run for leadership twice if he wasn\u2019t interested in the job.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2023, for example, he told the Daily Telegraph that he wanted Starmer to win the election \u2013 but that \u201cI can foresee a day where I could return \u2026 if the party thinks well maybe it is your time, I wouldn\u2019t turn away from that.\u201d<\/p>\n That has always made him an anxiety-inducing blot on the landscape for the incumbent leader \u2013 but the road to No 10 is a very difficult one. \u201cHe probably has an idea of how it could work,\u201d Pippa said. \u201cBut he doesn\u2019t have complete control of how to make it a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n Why is everyone suddenly talking about his prospects?<\/strong><\/p>\n Angela Rayner\u2019s cabinet departure has increased speculation over Starmer\u2019s future,<\/strong> partly because of the questions it has raised <\/strong>about his judgment, alongside the disastrous handling of the Peter Mandelson scandal. But it has also opened up space for Burnham, if he can find a way back into parliament \u2013 because the two of them occupied the same \u201csoft left\u201d lane of the party, the fuzzily defined territory occupied by those who were unconvinced by Jeremy Corbyn but are turned off by Starmer\u2019s attempts to compete with Reform and the Conservatives on immigration and welfare.<\/p>\n \u201cIt suddenly becomes much more realistic with her out of the picture,\u201d Pippa said. \u201cShe was the most obvious successor, and she is on the soft left of the party. That\u2019s Burnham\u2019s constituency now.\u201d<\/p>\n What kind of leader would he be?<\/strong><\/p>\n When Burnham ran for leader in 2015, he missed the mood of the party membership \u2013 which, you will remember, chose Jeremy Corbyn in a landslide \u2013 as calamitously as anyone. Where Corbyn ran on an uncompromising anti-austerity message, Burnham launched his campaign at the London headquarters of accounting giant EY (previously Ernst and Young) with a promise to support welfare cuts.<\/p>\n He strikes a very different tone today. \u201cRunning Greater Manchester has fundamentally reshaped his politics,\u201d Pippa said. \u201cHe\u2019s seen up close how housing and transport interventions can change people\u2019s lives.\u201d Cynics might ask if he has also reached a different view of where the political opening now lies. As a former shadow cabinet member told me for this 2020 piece: \u201cOne of Andy\u2019s gifts is to convince himself that the best thing for him also happens to be the right thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Burnham has been setting the tone of a leadership bid for a while \u2013 most notably in May, at an event hosted by soft-left pressure group Compass, when he argued that if the opposition at the next election will be \u201cthe divisive, populist right\u201d, then \u201cwe must be the unifying, popular left\u201d. He opposed the government\u2019s vexed welfare cuts bill, and has argued that the spate of St George\u2019s flags appearing on roads across England are an attempt to \u201cseek confrontation\u201d \u2013 another sharp contrast with Starmer\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n A new Compass-backed political network, Mainstream, launched last week \u2013 the day after Burnham appeared on the BBC\u2019s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg to say that Starmer needed to start listening to Labour MPs and be \u201cless factional and more pluralistic\u201d. Mainstream has Burnham\u2019s endorsement, and \u201cit could be a vehicle to organise, fundraise and develop policy if he runs,\u201d Pippa said.<\/p>\n While its policy offering is so far fairly scant, its website highlights Labour members\u2019 support for a wealth tax and an end to the two-child benefit limit. Mainstream has also been strikingly hostile to Starmer\u2019s leadership, accusing Starmer\u2019s Labour of putting \u201cparty factions\u2019 interest before your party and before the country\u201d at a deniable degree of distance from Burnham himself.<\/p>\n What support does he have within the party?<\/strong><\/p>\n If Burnham was looking for reasons to seek the leadership again, he would have found them in his popularity with Labour party members. Polls like this one regularly find him the most popular candidate, with a lead that Rayner\u2019s exit is likely to have increased; he is also the most popular candidate among those who voted Labour at the last election.<\/p>\n To reach the membership stage of a leadership contest, Burnham would first have to secure the support of 20% of MPs \u2013 and not being in Westminster might put him at a disadvantage. \u201cHe has his supporters on the backbenches, but there\u2019s not a campaign ready and waiting,\u201d Pippa said.<\/p>\n But with candidates on the right like Wes Streeting looming, others might turn to Burnham: \u201cIf he looks like a winner and staves off something else, there are plenty who could live with him. I\u2019ve spoken to women MPs who have really felt it needs to be a woman who now say, we need the best person available.\u201d<\/p>\n What obstacles are in his way?<\/strong><\/p>\n Only one, really, but it\u2019s absolutely massive: to run for the leadership, he would first have to become an MP again \u2013 and Starmer\u2019s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney has exercised an iron grip over the party\u2019s selection process through his allies on the party\u2019s National Executive Committee (NEC).<\/p>\n If the leader\u2019s position looked more secure, and Burnham had the leisure to wait for a seat to come up organically, it might be politically impossible to deny him one \u2013 but as it is, Burnham will probably have to admit that he is running with an eye on the leadership. He will also need the cooperation of a friendly Manchester MP ready to give up their seat (and their career) \u2013 before Christmas, if he doesn\u2019t want to risk the bandwagon rolling on in unpredictable ways, or even Starmer\u2019s resignation coming before he is in place to run.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are a couple of MPs who might stand down, perhaps in return for a future peerage,\u201d Pippa said. (Graham Stringer and Andrew Gwynne, who was suspended last year over offensive WhatsApp messages, have both been mentioned.) \u201cBut it would still be incredibly difficult. Even with the vast majority of local party members behind [Burnham], McSweeney\u2019s control of the NEC means that he can be blocked. Burnham can say that this a denial of democracy, but McSweeney is not likely to care.\u201d<\/p>\n If he gets the nomination, some of the seats that might be options may also appear a lot less safe than they once did, with Reform doing well in Manchester and Nigel Farage beating his chest about the possibility of exacting a \u201chumiliating\u201d defeat.<\/p>\n Can they be overcome?<\/strong><\/p>\n If Burnham can\u2019t beat Reform in Manchester, you might argue, there\u2019s not much point in him becoming leader anyway. \u201cHe is such a big name there, and there\u2019s a huge amount of personal affection even among people disaffected with Labour,\u201d Pippa said. \u201cSo I think he can overcome that threat if he gets the right seat.\u201d<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what\u2019s happening and why it matters<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: <\/strong>Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.<\/span><\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n McSweeney\u2019s blocking ability could still be terminal to his prospects. But if the embattled chief of staff\u2019s departure turns out to be the price of Starmer\u2019s survival, it\u2019s not at all clear what would happen to the faction he controls on the NEC \u2013 and if the body\u2019s members conclude that the tide is going out on Starmer, his ability to control them might dissipate anyway.<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as he\u2019s there and empowered, it\u2019s very difficult for Burnham,\u201d Pippa said. \u201cBut if that changes, or the NEC reaches the point of disillusionment with Starmer that some MPs are at, then all bets are off.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/span>An England flag attached to the Angel of the North statue in Gateshead.<\/span> Photograph: Christopher Thomond\/The Guardian<\/p>\n British and English flags<\/strong> have started popping up across the nation. What\u2019s the motivation behind their proliferation? Daniel Boffey speaks to those behind the movement. Aamna<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Song-Chun Zhu went from an upbringing in rural China to leading one of the United States\u2019 most eminent AI<\/strong> labs \u2013 and then suddenly returned to China in 2020. Chang Che\u2019s long read tells the extraordinary story of \u201ca life spent straddling two superpowers\u201d, and the broader shift Zhu\u2019s decision represents. Archie<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n This is a harrowing but important read about women being trafficked<\/strong>, enslaved and raped in a Colombian town ravaged by a fight for dominance between two militant groups. Aamna<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n British readers may not know the work of Robert Munsch<\/strong> \u2013 but those of us with a Canadian in our lives will know that he\u2019s the world\u2019s greatest children\u2019s author. Even if you aren\u2019t a fan yet, Katie Engelhart\u2019s New York Times piece about how he has faced the onset of dementia is an astonishingly moving read. Archie<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Just how sorry are you? If you want people to believe your sincerity<\/strong>, ensure your apology is as verbose as possible, according to a recent study. Aamna<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/span>Mondo Duplantis celebrates after winning gold and breaking the world record during the final.<\/span> Photograph: Issei Kato\/Reuters<\/p>\n Athletics<\/strong><\/em> | At the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo, Sweden\u2019s Mondo Duplantis broke the men\u2019s pole vault world record for a 14th time in his career. Meanwhile, Tanzania\u2019s Alphonce Simbu snatched gold in a dramatic photo-finish to the men\u2019s marathon.<\/p>\n Cycling<\/strong><\/em> | World Tour cycling teams may refuse to race against Israel-Premier Tech after the multiple protests during the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a that exploded into street violence in Madrid on Sunday.<\/p>\n Rugby<\/strong><\/em> | England\u2019s world player of the year, Ellie Kildunne, is expected to be ready to play against France in the Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup semi\u2011final on Saturday after missing the 40-8 quarter-final win against Scotland on Sunday.<\/p>\n <\/span>Guardian front page<\/span> Photograph: Guardian<\/p>\n The Guardian<\/strong> leads with \u201cCrisis for PM grows as aide quits over lewd remarks about Abbott\u201d. The i<\/strong> has \u201cStarmer fights for his future as Mandelson row deepens \u2013 and key aide resigns\u201d, while the Times<\/strong> goes with \u201cMandelson emails add to pressure on Starmer\u201d. The Mail<\/strong> goes simply with \u201cMeltdown!\u201d<\/p>\n Ahead of the US president\u2019s visit to the UK, the Telegraph<\/strong> reports \u201cTrump to go easy on embattled Starmer\u201d. The Financial Times<\/strong> says \u201cTrump urges US companies to copy China in ditching quarterly reporting\u201d. The Mirror<\/strong> reports \u201cHillsborough law unveiled\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/span>Supporters of Tommy Robinson assemble for their march near Waterloo Station.<\/span> Photograph: Guy Smallman\/Getty Images<\/p>\n On the ground with Tommy Robinson\u2019s new supporters<\/strong><\/p>\n Who showed up for the biggest far-right rally in British history? Ben Quinn reports<\/p>\n <\/span> Illustration: Ben Jennings\/The Guardian<\/p>\n A bit of good news to remind you that the world\u2019s not all bad<\/em><\/p>\n <\/span>Children enjoying a \u2018midday meal\u2019.<\/span> Photograph: Tora Agarwala<\/p>\n India\u2019s ambitious \u201cmidday meal\u201d programme, known as PM Poshan, was launched to boost school enrolment. But in Laitsohpliah, a rural village in north-east India, its unique uptake is making waves.<\/p>\n The menu there is hyperlocal, using ingredients sourced from nearby farmers, many of them parents of pupils, while the rest comes from the school\u2019s own kitchen garden.<\/p>\n \u201cOur students don\u2019t like skipping meals any more,\u201d says headteacher Nestar Kharmawphlang, as his school serves the staple rice and dal alongside potatoes with east Himalayan chives, cured dry fish and sohryngkham, a wild berry pickle.<\/p>\n The shift is thanks to an initiative by the North East Society for Agroecology Support (Nesfas), which aims to make school lunches healthier, more sustainable and climate-resilient.<\/p>\n Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday<\/strong><\/p>\n And finally, the Guardian\u2019s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Good morning. It\u2019s been a torrid summer of getting screamed at, dumped on and generally run ragged by those who wouldn\u2019t even be there without you. But enough about my paternity leave: today\u2019s newsletter is about Keir Starmer\u2019s wobbling Labour leadership, and the man some of his own MPs want to replace him in No<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21643,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[2094,1043,13272,3883,1570,13273,379,6538],"class_list":{"0":"post-21642","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-social-issues","8":"tag-andy","9":"tag-briefing","10":"tag-burnhams","11":"tag-eyes","12":"tag-manchester","13":"tag-manoeuvres","14":"tag-mysterious","15":"tag-tuesday"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21642"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21642\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21643"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Five big stories<\/h2>\n
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In depth: \u2018Rayner was the obvious successor on the soft left \u2013 that\u2019s Burnham now\u2019<\/h2>\n
What else we\u2019ve been reading<\/h2>\n
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Sport<\/h2>\n
The front pages<\/h2>\n
Today in Focus<\/h2>\n
Cartoon of the day | Ben Jennings<\/h2>\n
The Upside<\/h2>\n
Bored at work?<\/h2>\n