Burnham Sparks Labour Fury Over Green Alliance Event

Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, has provoked outrage among Labour MPs by confirming his attendance at a cross-party 'progressive alliance' event this month. According to The Guardian, this decision has severely undermined Labour's messaging just weeks before crucial local elections, where the party is directly competing against the Greens in numerous areas.

This event, organised by the left-wing group Compass, is designed to showcase cross-party collaboration. The Guardian reports that other speakers include former Green leader Caroline Lucas and former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister Vince Cable, alongside two Labour MPs, Clive Lewis and Miatta Fahnbulleh. The timing is particularly contentious, given Labour's efforts to win council seats across the country.

Luke Akehurst, the MP for North Durham, directly criticised the move, stating, “Anyone in the Labour party who has been advancing the concept of a progressive alliance involving the Greens should surely be reconsidering this at the moment given the revelations about the extent of antisemitism amongst their council candidates.” Another unnamed Labour MP went further, telling The Guardian, “now is not the time to talk about coalitions. It was bad enough when Andy said he’d work with [Jeremy] Corbyn (and Your party); now he wants to work with another party riddled with antisemitism? It’s unconscionable.”

This controversy highlights the deep divisions within Labour regarding its strategy against smaller parties, particularly the Greens, who have doubled their poll ratings. Critics argue Labour should confront the Green threat directly, while Burnham's allies suggest he is simply advancing progressive ideas for the Labour party. For ordinary people, this looks like a party in disarray, unable to present a united front when it matters most.

The Guardian notes that attention will now focus on Burnham in the aftermath of this week’s elections, as he is widely seen as a potential challenger to Keir Starmer. However, unlike other contenders, Burnham would first need to secure a Westminster seat, a path complicated by Labour's ruling national executive committee denying him the chance to stand earlier this year.