China visit leaves Sir Keir vulnerable to Labour plotters

Keir Starmer loves grandstanding on the world stage but an expected trip to China next week will leave his MPs back home free to plot.

- Sam Lister Deputy Editor

The Prime Minister is due to fly to China next week, leaving his MPs free to plot

Manchester mayor Andy Burnham’s “will he, won't he” soap opera saga is reaching its conclusion thanks to an upcoming by-election in his own backyard. It’s decision time for the “King of the North” seize this opportunity to get back into Parliament ready to take a tilt at the top job or forever hold his peace.There will never be a better chance. He is popular in Greater Manchester and the local elections in May are likely to be devastating for Starmer.

You miss all of the shots you don’t take and bottling it now will harm his reputation, perhaps irrevocably. But as the fabulous Carole Malone points out on the page opposite, Burnham’s backbone is not always ramrod straight and there is a good chance he will duck his chance.

The Gorton and Denton seat now up for grabs after Andrew Gwynne — booted out of Labour for sending unsavoury messages - announced he is quitting is traditionally rock solid Red.

But there is no such thing as a safe seat in these volatile times and Reform will be relentless in their pursuit of such a symbolic win.