
Broadcasting House Back him or block him? Burnham row engulfs Labour
Jan 25, 2026
Lord Michael Gove, Conservative peer and former cabinet minister who now writes and comments on politics, offers sharp analysis on leadership and party strategy. He debates whether decisive action or caution best serves party unity. He also compares current Labour turmoil to Tory leadership dramas and weighs the electoral and reputational risks involved.
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Labour's Strategic Burnham Dilemma
- Labour faces a strategic trade-off over Andy Burnham: block him to avoid an internal threat or allow him and risk prolonged leadership drama.
- Both short-term control and long-term reputational costs shape the NEC's likely decision to block him.
Assert Leadership And Avoid Variables
- Michael Gove advises decisiveness: block Andy Burnham to assert leadership and avoid introducing uncontrollable variables.
- He urges Labour to stop internal psychodrama and focus on selling its achievements instead.
Counterintuitive Confidence Strategy
- Ayesha Hazarika suggests an alternative: show confidence by welcoming Andy Burnham into Parliament and offering him a role.
- She warns that letting him in could make Starmer look strong, not weakened, if Burnham then missteps.







