Why Labour MPs are talking about backing a challenger to Andy Burnham

Why Labour MPs are talking about backing a challenger to Andy Burnham Andy Burnham's path to No10 looked clear, allowing him to become Prime Minister on July 17 - but some MPs are wary of handing him the keys to Downing Street without a contest It looked like Andy Burnham had it all sewn up. Keir Starmer acknowledged that support had ebbed away from him and conceded the keys to No10 before Burnham even stepped onto the platform at Euston station. And his main challenger, the ex-Health Secretary Wes Streeting, folded in behind him. His path to No10 looked clear, setting him on course to become Prime Minister on July 17. But last night rumours started swirling that MPs wanted Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the PM, to trigger a contest. A source close to him rubbished the idea, saying they were "pouring a lot of cold water" on the rumours. Al Carns, the ambitious former defence minister, also refused to rule out running. Asked whether he would launch his own leadership bid, Carns said today: "A decision is often based on multiple factors. I just need to see and buy into that vision and that policy and then we’ll see where we go from there." The fact that these rumours are doing the rounds tells us something. Many MPs are elated to see Burnham back and feeling hopeful that he can offer Labour a new path after a tough two years. But there is some unease about the lack of detail on what his plans are. He has a long record in politics, including serving as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Health Secretary and Culture Secretary during the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown years. He has forged a new politics in Greater Manchester, holding one of the most powerful elected roles outside of Westminster. But he has been out of Westminster for a decade and did not fight the general election on Labour's manifesto. On issues like defence, foreign policy and economics, there is little concrete detail about what he wants to do. In Burnham’s defence, a by-election campaign is not the place to set out a programme for government. But some MPs feel like they’re going into this blind. His team will face pressure in the coming days and weeks to sketch out more detail on what a Burnham Government could look like. He is expected to do a speech next week on his vision for the economy, in part to reassure jittery markets of his credibility and his commitment to Rachel Reeves's strict fiscal rules. His choice of top team is also the hottest topic of conversation. Who he puts in top jobs will signal where he wants to take the party - particularly who he picks as his Chancellor. Most MPs I've spoken to in Parliament think Burnham is the only choice to succeed Starmer. They know it's a gamble but there's a sense that it was the only viable path to give them a decent shot at winning the next election. One told me: “The PLP would be livid if someone challenges.” Politics is a brutal business and power has cleared shifted towards Burnham. It was brutally exposed by the scenes of him posing for pictures with scores of grinning Labour MPs in Westminster Hall, flanked by Rachel Reeves, Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds and Starmer loyalists like Steve Reed. Many of them stayed away from Downing Street when Mr Starmer delivered his resignation speech. Who would dare to go up against him?