Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has hit out at a “climate of fear” within the Labour Party and said he wants to “open debate” arond the direction of the party.
At a fringe event on electoral reform at the Labour party conference in Liverpool, Burnham said he wanted the government to be a success but said “we have to have a debate about our direction – and I won’t be shying away from that”.
“The next election, when it comes, will be a big choice – but let’s not forget the challenge is right in front of us now. May 2026 is going to be a huge challenge for our party. This country could take a big step that we would feel very worried about in just a few short months’ time.
“One of the things we do need to have a debate about is how do we have a policy agenda which connects more, which tells a story about what the government is trying to do, and deals with the cost of living.
“One thing I am worried about is how can you have an open debate about all those things if there is too much of a climate of fear within our party and the way the party is being run.
“How can you get a debate about the direction to take to reconnect with the public if a member of Parliament loses the whip for trying to protect disability benefits or the two-child cap?”
Burnham said that debate in the party is in effect being “closed down” and added: “I was in the Blair government and the Brown government and I don’t remember the party in Parliament being run in that way in that era.”
‘I’m launching a debate within the party’: Andy Burnham at Labour Party conference pic.twitter.com/HfrP9LFsTp
— Daniel Green (@DanGreenJourno) September 28, 2025
He stressed the party needed to draw strength from across the Labour family and that the party needed to be more united to fight the threat the party faces.
“I’ve been accused of all things in the past week – I’ve done nothing more than launch a debate. What I would say to those who say I am speaking out purely for my own ambition, I can say I am speaking for the thousands of councillors who are worried about going to those doorsteps next May, speaking for the members of the Senedd who are working hard to keep Wales Labour, and members of the Scottish Parliament who want a stronger story about Labour. I am speaking for the millions of good people around Britain who want more hopeful direction for the country.
“I think we can do it; we can make this government work, we can find that more hopeful direction and we can win again at the next general election.”
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