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Sue Gray has been credited with repairing strained relations between Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer in recent months, with the pair now involved in discussions on ‘education and transport’. Earlier this year, there was significant distance between the two Labour leaders.
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Burnham has been lauded for his work as Manchester Mayor, delivering the BEE public transport system to widespread acclaim. However, he hasn’t always seen eye to eye with Sir Keir, previously accusing the party leader’s team of ‘briefing against him’.
According to a report in The Times, Starmer publicly mocked Burnham at a party towards the back end of 2022, saying that the former front-bencher had a tendency to ‘flip-flop’ on certain issues. Stones have somewhat been thrown from glass houses, if that’s the case.
The negative back and forth had taken a toll on internal communications, with Andy Burnham asking to be ‘left alone’ by his counterparts in Westminster. However, the intervention of Sue Gray appears to have significantly improved this fractured relationship.
It’s understood that Gray has been facilitating regular meetings between Team Starmer and Team Burnham, alongside one-on-ones between the senior politicians. Last month, Burnham somewhat changed his tune, saying the current Labour leadership can now ‘seize its opportunity to govern’.
A source close to Mr. Burnham who spoke to the publication explained how things have picked up, as a direct result of Gray’s mediation. With a General Election on the horizon in 2024, this new-found unity could well serve to benefit Labour in the long run.
“It’s noticeable how different teams are talking to us more, whether that be education, the devolution team, transport and others. Those are happening in a way that they weren’t previously and it’s all happened since Sue Gray came in.”
