'Burnham has right credentials for leadership' - MP

The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has got "all the right credentials" to be the next Prime Minister, Shrewsbury's MP has said.

Labour's Julia Buckley said: "I don't think its any secret that I'm a supporter of Andy Burnham", who is seen as a potential leadership challenger to PM Sir Keir Starmer.

Buckley said Starmer had done good work on the international stage, particularly with the US-Israel war with Iran, but needed to do more in domestic politics.

"Andy Burnham's got experience of cabinet, parliament, you know what's more important? He's got experience on the ground in the last 10 years of making politics work for real people," Buckley said.

Buckley told the BBC that Burnham had experience in improving buses, lowering prices, getting people jobs and helping with apprenticeships.

"Surely that proof in the pudding is what's sort of been missing at national level," she said.

Heavy losses for Labour in local council elections last week has sparked days of speculation about Starmer's future as PM but no leadership challenge has yet been triggered.

Burnham, who was MP for Leigh between 2001 and 2017, confirmed on Friday he would attempt to return to Westminster .

Josh Simons, MP for Makerfield in Greater Manchester, says he will step down to create an opening. A by-election is likely to take at least three weeks.

Burnham needs the National Executive Committee (the party's decision-making group) to say yes before he can run - they blocked him from a recent by-election arguing that they didn't want to cause a separate election for a new mayor.

Burnham would have to resign as Manchester mayor because he can't combine the role with being an MP.

But NEC members might change their minds or new members more sympathetic to Burnham could join the NEC after elections this summer.

Burnham would then have to win the by-election - which Labour's heavy losses in recent council elections suggest is not guaranteed.

Finally, he must enter and win a Labour leadership contest.

He would need the support of 81 Labour MPs - one in five - to enter a contest and to win the vote of party members and affiliated trade union supporters.

That is something he has failed to do twice before, losing out to Ed Miliband in 2010 and Jeremy Corbyn in 2015

Buckley told the BBC: "I do think we need to have leadership and leaders who can connect with people on the ground and all different kinds of places, not just places in the north and cities, but also rural communities like ours."

"It's about understanding different needs in different places, and making sure our brilliant policies deliver for everyone.

Buckley added that there were other "strong players" in the party.

"Ed Miliband has done some good work, Angela Rayner is very popular and it's great to see her coming back and hopefully playing a prominent role."

"We need a broad team of all the talents."

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