Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has backed Andy Burnham’s return to parliament, saying that he’d be an “asset” in Westminster.
The Wigan MP’s comments followed Sir Keir Starmer’s forthright speech on Monday morning, when he insisted that he was staying put.
Asked if he would continue to block Mr Burnham from trying to return to Westminster, the Prime Minister said: “Obviously, any future decision is for the NEC. Andy’s doing a great job as mayor in Manchester.”
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Ms Nandy was invited on Sky News to discuss the latest developments. When asked if she thought Mr Burnham was an “asset”, she replied: “Yeah I do, he’s an asset as mayor of Greater Manchester and he was as my neighbouring MP in Leigh for seven years… I think he’d be an asset in Westminster too.”
She said that Burnham is “undeniably one of those politicians who goes out and fights for people and they see it and appreciate it.”
Earlier this year, Ms Nandy disagreed with the NEC blocking Burnham’s attempts to become Labour’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, stating that he should have been allowed to stand.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – MARCH 03, 2026: Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy arrives in Downing Street to attend a meeting of Cabinet ahead of the Spring Statement announcement in London, United Kingdom on March 03, 2026. (Photo credit should read Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
However, Ms Nandy has stopped short of calling for the Greater Manchester Mayor to replace the Prime Minister.
“We need to be a strong and united team. We have a prime minister, this is not about trying to swap out the prime minister or change the prime minister,” she went on to say.
At the time of writing, at least 60 Labour MPs have called on Sir Keir to set out a timetable for a leadership election to take place, including Leigh and Atherton MP Jo Platt. At the recent local elections, Reform UK won 24 of the 25 seats up for grabs in Wigan – the local authority in Ms Platt’s constituency.
She joined the Culture Secretary in giving her backing to Mr Burnham, while also calling for the resignation of the Prime Minister.
Jo Platt, Labour MP for Leigh and Atherton(Image: Manchester Evening News)
In a statement, the MP said: “Last week’s local election results sent a clear message in Leigh and Atherton, and in communities across the country, voters are losing faith in our party and demanding change.
“Keir Starmer is an honourable man who has led with integrity and professionalism. I believe he entered politics for the right reasons, driven by a desire to improve the lives of working people. I also recognise the difficult inheritance this government faced, and the important achievements it has since delivered in office.
“But the reality is that progress is not being felt quickly enough by the people we were elected to serve, and Labour heartlands are now collapsing in front of us. The message from the constituents I represent has been clear and consistent: they want change, including new leadership.
“As the MP for this constituency, it is my duty to be honest about what I am hearing from residents on the doorstep. As a movement, we cannot progress under this leadership. That is why I am calling on the Prime Minister to announce a clear and measured timetable for his resignation, with an orderly transition of leadership, to take place by September.
“This must not be a moment of chaos, but a moment of honesty, renewal, and democratic accountability. I also believe the National Executive Committee should allow Andy Burnham to stand so that members and supporters can have a genuine choice about the future direction of the Labour Party. This is not a call made lightly. But leadership means listening, even when the message is difficult to hear. The country wants change and hope, and our party must now show that it is capable of delivering it.”
Makerfield MP Josh Simons tweeted yesterday: “We Labour MPs must square up to the truth. These elections were not a normal mid-term drubbing, they were an unequivocal judgement that our actions do not meet the moment. To put the country first, the PM should lead an orderly transition. Senior figures across the party should urgently come together to agree a path forward.”
Former minister Catherine West backed down from her threat to trigger a leadership challenge against the Prime Minister, but called on him to go by September.
Sir Keir vowed to prove his ‘doubters’ wrong in his speech today as he fought back against calls for him to quit. The Prime Minister said his party would ‘be better and do better’ as he took responsibility for Labour’s electoral mauling across England, Scotland and Wales last week.