Labour Ministers Plot 'Trojan Horse' Strategy to Position Andy Burnham as Starmer's Successor Labour ministers are reportedly devising a strategic plan to position Andy Burnham as a potential successor to Keir Starmer following the local elections. The scheme involves a Labour MP stepping down to create a by-election opportunity for Burnham, who would then pledge loyalty to Starmer to prevent an immediate leadership challenge. While supporters argue this would stabilize the party, critics dismiss it as a risky maneuver. Ministers within the Labour Party are reportedly discussing a strategic maneuver, likened to the mythical Trojan Horse, to position Andy Burnham as a potential successor to Keir Starmer following the upcoming local elections. The plan involves a sympathetic Labour MP from the northwest, possibly Peter Dowd or Marie Rimmer, stepping down as early as next week to create a vacancy for Burnham, the current Mayor of Greater Manchester, to return to Westminster. In exchange for their support, ministers would demand that Starmer lift his opposition to Burnham's candidacy, with Burnham expected to publicly pledge loyalty to Starmer to prevent an immediate leadership challenge.Supporters of this scheme argue that it would prevent Labour from descending into a chaotic leadership contest and give Starmer a final opportunity to demonstrate his ability to reverse the party's declining fortunes. However, it would also ensure that Labour has a ready-made successor if Starmer's leadership continues to falter in the coming months. Cabinet ministers advocating for this plan believe it will be presented to Starmer as the best chance to salvage his premiership.One source explained, 'The attraction for Keir is that there is no guarantee Andy will win the by-election. If he wants to be the candidate, he will need to sign a loyalty oath to the Prime Minister. And it buys Keir a bit more time to see if he can turn things around.' Another Burnham supporter stated, 'It's increasingly clear that Andy is the answer. Starmer can't keep on blocking him forever. And once he's inside the walls then—like the Trojan Horse—he is in place and ready if the situation becomes unsustainable.' A third source added, 'Andy would effectively be a Trojan Horse. As soon as he's in, all the in-fighting and maneuvering would end, because then there's a clear successor to Keir in place. So it staves off an immediate civil war. But for Keir, it gives him one final chance to see if he can pull off a miracle and shift the polls.And if he doesn't take it, then Andy just steps up without too much drama.' The Trojan Horse, a mythical wooden structure used by Greek forces to infiltrate Troy, has become a metaphor for a deceptive gift. Downing Street is bracing for a potential leadership challenge following Thursday's local elections, which are expected to result in significant losses for Labour.However, key figures such as Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Deputy Leader Angela Rayner are hesitant to launch a direct challenge, fearing it could damage their political prospects. Allies of Starmer have dismissed the idea that he would support Burnham's return, especially after blocking him from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election just three months ago. They have also denied reports that Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) has shifted its stance to support Burnham.A Labour source criticized Burnham's plan as 'based on fantasy,' stating, 'Andy cannot name a single member of the NEC who he has won over since he was last rejected.' Both Dowd and Rimmer have publicly denied plans to resign, but with Reform UK expected to perform strongly in Labour's traditional Red Wall areas, any by-election would be risky. Steve Wright, general secretary of the Labour-affiliated Fire Brigades Union, suggested that Starmer would be vulnerable after the elections, predicting Labour could lose up to 2,000 council seats across England, as well as facing setbacks in Wales and Scotland. Wright remarked, 'I think he will go.I think there will be calls for him to go. It's inevitable now, isn't it? I think he's a bit of a sitting duck.' However, Communities Secretary Steve Reed dismissed the speculation as 'psychodrama,' stating that most Labour MPs are focused on addressing the issues that matter most to the public rather than engaging in leadership debates. He told Times Radio, 'The whole notion that we would copy the Conservatives and go doomscrolling through leaders in a way that means the government is completely incapable of dealing with the things that matter the most to the British public is an absolute nonsense.And I'm not going to engage in it, and most of our MPs would not engage in it either.