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The Financial Times says allies of Sir Keir Starmer on Labour’s National Executive Committee are plotting to stop Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, over fears that a return to Westminster for the Greater Manchester mayor could see him launch a leadership challenge to the prime minister. “Does Andy Burnham Have The Bottle?” asks the headline in the Daily Mail, which claims Labour is “descending into civil war” now that a “plum” seat is up for grabs.
A Starmer supporter tells the i Paper: “We don’t need an Andy Burnham circus which will only divert resources, manpower and money away from vital council elections”. The Times suggests Downing Street could impose a “loyalty pledge” on potential Labour candidates for the by-election, insisting they confirm their allegiance to the prime minister, “thereby painting Burnham as a traitor” if he does launch a leadership bid.
The Daily Telegraph claims Sir Keir’s national security adviser “has been lobbying for Hamas to keep some of its guns” as part of the Gaza peace process. Jonathan Powell is reported to believe that the move would help to break the deadlock in stalled talks on phase two of the ceasefire and has cited Britain’s experience with republican terrorism as evidence that the plan could work. The paper says it has approached him for comment.
A suggestion that the government could water down its plans to reform the system for special educational needs is featured by the Times. It says Downing Street is “thought to be nervous” that a backbench rebellion could lead to another government U-turn, meaning officials are now “leaning towards tinkering around the edges” of the existing system to avoid upset. A source has told the paper that briefings have been “uninformed”.
With the headline, “Shameful”, the Daily Mirror says Donald Trump has “sparked fury” by saying UK military personnel did not serve on the front line in Afghanistan. The mother of the youngest British soldier to die in the conflict tells the paper the US president is “out of touch with reality”.
