Andy Burnham has twice not ruled out a run for the Labor leadership, after an MP said he would leave his seat so the mayor of Greater Manchester could return to Westminster.
Burnham has been at the center of speculation about a move against Sir Keir Starmer since Labour’s autumn conference, but could only do so if she were an MP.
On Wednesday, Norwich South MP Clive Lewis said he was prepared to resign to make way for Burnham to return to the Commons through a by-election.
Burnham was quizzed about the MP’s bid on both BBC Breakfast and BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, but would only say that he is “fully focused” on his current role as mayor.
On BBC Breakfast, presenter Naga Munchetty tried to tell Burnham whether she would finish her full term as mayor, until 2028.
“I don’t know what the world has in store for us, but I’m focused on my job here in Greater Manchester,” he responded.
Pushed further, he said: “I haven’t issued any leadership challenges” before adding: “I’m not going to sit here this morning and rule out what may or may not happen in the future – I don’t know what the future will hold.”
Burnham then criticized journalists for speculating, saying she is “constantly answering hypothetical questions” and claimed that Westminster MPs were “constantly speculating and not proposing solutions”.
Labor Party rules for any leadership challenge state that candidates must be MPs and also secure the backing of at least 80 MPs to run against the incumbent.
Two Manchester MPs, Andrew Gwynne and Graham Stringer, previously ruled out giving up their seats so Burnham could run.
On Wednesday, Lewis told the BBC’s Politics Live that stepping aside for Burnham was “a question I asked myself”, adding that the answer would have to be “yes”.
The MP, who has represented Norwich South for 10 years, later told The Sun he had “no plans to resign” and had been answering a “hypothetical question”.
Last week, the Norwich South MP said Sir Keir’s position as first minister was “untenable” and told Channel 4 News that Burnham should be given the chance to “step forward”.
On the Today show, presenter Emma Barnett asked Burnham if he would accept Lewis’s offer to give up a seat, but he only said “I appreciate the support” and repeated that he was focused on his current job.
Before becoming mayor of Manchester in 2017, Burnham served as a cabinet and shadow minister under successive Labor leaders and made two unsuccessful bids for the Labor leadership.
Lewis first won his seat in 2015 and last year increased his majority to more than 13,000.
But if he were to resign, any potential successor would first have to win a selection contest before a by-election was held.
