Suspended Labour MP Karl Turner has said Labour would have “nothing to fear” from a General Election if Andy Burnham became Prime Minister.
Speaking to GB News, the Independent MP — who was sanctioned for opposing plans to scrap jury trials — said the widely expected successor to Keir Starmer could save Labour from “extinction” after the outgoing leader’s tenure.
Since Sir Keir announced his resignation, calls have grown in some quarters for the next Prime Minister to seek a fresh mandate from voters through a General Election.
“It is true, by the way, to say that politicians tend to call for a general election when in opposition, when party leaders change,” Turner said.
“Of course we do. I did plenty of it.
“But that was about the legitimacy, in my view, of the government at the time.”
The Kingston upon Hull MP argued Labour’s large Commons majority would give Burnham room to govern.
However, Turner acknowledged Burnham’s legitimacy would depend on governing within the framework of Labour’s 2024 manifesto.
“If he’s using the Labour Party manifesto, which we won on… then we can prove that we have legitimacy.”
Turner said that if Burnham delivered on his promises, Labour should have little concern about facing voters.
“And if he does the things that he’s promising to do, which people quite like, there’s no fear about a general election because we’d win,” he said.
Turner’s confidence appears to have some statistical backing, with fresh polling showing Labour narrowly ahead of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK under Burnham’s leadership.
In that scenario, Labour sits on 27 per cent support, edging ahead of Reform for the first time in months.
Even so, Turner admitted Burnham faces a major challenge.
“I think he needs to save Labour,” he said.
“The reality is we were looking at the extinction of the Labour Party and trade union movement. That was where we were under Keir Starmer’s leadership.
“We have a big majority, but it’s biscuit-thin. Under Keir Starmer, it was becoming wafer-thin.
“If we’d gone to the country anytime soon under his leadership, I’m afraid it would have been gone — and gone for a very long time.”
Turner said Burnham now deserves the chance to prove himself before any new election.
“I think it’s different under Andy Burnham, and I think we’ve got to give him a chance now to prove himself.
“We’re very optimistic that he can do the business.”
However, pollsters have warned the so-called “Burnham bounce” remains fragile.
Jack Curry of BMG Research said the bounce was “wafer-thin”.
“Mr Burnham’s lead over Reform in that scenario is a single point, and on these numbers, no party is anywhere near a working majority,” he said.
