Overview

• Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham used a New Statesman cover interview to urge Labour to embrace “wholesale change” and to put that question to party members at conference.
• He set out a platform of expanded public control over housing, energy, water, rail and buses, backed proportional representation, and signalled willingness to work with parties such as the Liberal Democrats and figures on the left.
• Burnham framed Reform UK as an “existential” threat to Labour, as new Ipsos polling reported by the New Statesman shows Labour on about 18 percent and voters split 30–30 on Starmer versus Nigel Farage as best prime minister.
• He declined to rule out a future leadership bid, saying he is “ready to play any role,” while stressing he is not planning an immediate return to Westminster.
• He endorsed Lucy Powell for deputy leader, while Downing Street pushes allies to back Bridget Phillipson, according to the New Statesman’s reporting on internal manoeuvres ahead of the Liverpool gathering.