Senior Welsh Labour MP backs Andy Burnham for party leadership
Nation.Cymru staff
A senior Welsh Labour MP has thrown his support behind Andy Burnham to become Labour leader and the UK’s next Prime Minister, describing the Greater Manchester mayor as one of the party’s “best players”.
Alex Barros-Curtis, the MP for Cardiff West and chair of the Welsh Parliamentary Labour Party, made the comments during an appearance on ITV Cymru Wales’ Sharp End on Tuesday evening.
Asked about criticism from Conservative Shadow Welsh Secretary Mims Davies, who suggested Mr Burnham was being “drafted in”, Mr Barros-Curtis said he viewed the situation differently.
“I’ve known Andy ten plus years and I take a different view from Mims, in the sense that Andy has said that he’s returning to Westminster because he feels he’s got something to offer, particularly learning from nine years as the mayor of Greater Manchester,” he said.
“Then I think, especially as there is now a vacancy, it’s important we have our best players on the pitch and I will be supporting Andy.”
Pressed on whether Labour should hold a full leadership contest, Mr Barros-Curtis said he would not “disrespect colleagues” who might wish to stand, but described Mr Burnham as “an exceptional candidate”.
The intervention marks a significant shift for the Cardiff West MP, who was previously regarded as a loyal supporter of Sir Keir Starmer.
Earlier this year, Mr Barros-Curtis publicly defended the then Prime Minister during the fallout surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson.
Speaking on Sharp End in February, he argued the Labour leader had shown accountability by apologising over the appointment.
At the time, Mr Barros-Curtis said Sir Keir had taken responsibility both for appointing Lord Mandelson and for accepting assurances given during the appointment process.
“He apologised, not just for appointing Peter Mandelson in the first place, but also apologised for believing the lies he perpetuated when queried on this,” Mr Barros-Curtis said.
“I think that was a good step in underscoring the seriousness with which he takes it and underlining the lessons we’ve got to learn from that.”
The comments came as Sir Keir faced mounting pressure over renewed scrutiny of Lord Mandelson’s past dealings with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Despite the controversy, Mr Barros-Curtis stood firmly behind the Prime Minister at the time, saying the focus should remain on victims and the lessons Labour needed to learn.
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Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Zio, transphobe, pro austerity, anti immigration, genocide enabler, billionaire’s b*tch, negotiable “values”. Likely to do a Cameron and deliver the nation to more fascists
A centrist platform that got Labour elected after twice having their farther left offer roundly rejected. It’s a lurch to the left that would gift power to a farther right coalition in 2029.
as the lead Starmer parachutist in Wales, Why wouldn’t he support Andy Burham if saves his seat.
I suppose party unity is important, and he can’t say anything else given it’s an inevitability that Burnham takes over.
‘But’ – people like him must have massive reservations. Stabbed their mate Starmer, no obvious policies to do anything different, beaten by Miliband and Corbyn to labour leadership, and mixed performance when he was last a minister.
I hope Burnham does a great job and stays in post for two election cycles but labour seem like they lost their mind at the moment.
The fact a parachute candidate from London not even half way through his first term in office is chair of the Welsh Parliamentary Labour Party says it all really. If only he had the decency to follow his mate Starmer out the door, but the opportunistic weasel is already buttering up the new boss I see.