Andy Burnham is gearing up for a pivotal Labour conference with speculation swirling about a snap election.
The PM is due to give interviews today to local media ahead of the start of the annual gathering in Liverpool on Sunday – the first since he ousted Keir Starmer.
Mr Burnham has insisted he will ‘develop the themes’ of his vague ‘Manchesterism’ platform and set out a ‘clear new path’ for the country in his keynote speech.
However, the desperate struggle to balance the books in the looming Budget is set to dominate much of the debate around the conference.
And there are concerns that the fevered rumours about an early election – furiously denied by No10 – could prove another unwanted distraction.
Labour has seen a poll bounce since Mr Burnham took over, and the frenzy was fuelled yesterday by two megapolls suggesting Reform is no longer on track for a Commons majority.
Andy Burnham is gearing up for a pivotal Labour conference with speculation swirling about a snap election
Advocates of going to the country early argue that it could be the best chance of clinging on to power, with another inflation shockwave from the Middle East crisis about to hit.
Labour insiders have warned that the persistent rumours could create a situation similar to that under Gordon Brown in 2007.
The then-premier was badly damaged when he quashed rampant speculation about a snap election at Labour conference, having allowed it to build for months. He went on to lose the election in 2010.
In contrast, Downing Street has been frantically trying to kill the idea that Mr Burnham will trigger an early poll.
But one senior party source told the Daily Mail that the stage was ‘definitely set for a rollercoaster of loose remarks and desperate rowing back’ about an election.
Another Labour veteran suggested the polls were still not good enough for Mr Burnham to act.
‘Two things can be true. Things can’t get any better. And they still aren’t good enough,’ they said.
In an interview with the New Statesman earlier this week, Mr Burnham said he would use conference to flesh out his vision of public control and devolution.
‘People might say you get into government and you dial down. I don’t feel like that. I won’t be dialling it down, put it that way,’ he said.
Labour insiders have warned that the persistent rumours could create a situation similar to that under Gordon Brown in 2007
Mr Burnham – who grew up in Liverpool and is a keen Everton fan – said returning to the city as PM would be a ‘big thing’.
‘It’s a moment to weave all of these threads together and to lay out the path, I think, and say, ”Look, Britain’s here, we can be there” – a much better place – but we’re going to have to be honest with ourselves about what it takes to get from where we are right now to where we should be’.
He added that ‘people won’t be in any doubt what I want to do with the job’.
‘This has to be a point where the country says, ”Right, we can’t carry on like this, we need to set a new, clear direction, a new clear path.”’
