Exclusive:Andy Burnham leadership tilt 'a distraction' from Holyrood election, say Scottish Labour MPs

The Greater Manchester Mayor has criticised the UK government in recent interviews and said he had been asked by fellow politicians to stand as an MP.

But one Scottish Labour MP said Mr Burnham returning “wouldn’t help anyone”, while another said he had shown a “total disregard” for people standing next year.

It comes as the Labour Party Conference kicks off in Liverpool on Sunday.

One MP told The Scotsman: “The interviews that Burnham has been doing aren’t helpful. Him coming back wouldn’t help anyone. He’s a big fish in Manchester - but not in Kent, not in Cornwall and not in Scotland.

“Next year needs to be a referendum on John Swinney and the SNP, not Keir Starmer. It has to be about who runs Scotland, not who runs Britain. Andy Burnham is a distraction from that.”

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In interviews, Mr Burnham has set out his plans for higher council tax on expensive homes in London and the South East. He also said there should be £40 billion of borrowing to build council houses, income tax cuts for those on lower salaries and a 50p rate for higher earners.

The Greater Manchester Mayor also attacked ministers for being “in hock to the bond markets” in an interview with the New Statesman. This was a reference to the UK government’s rules on spending and borrowing.

Another MP said: “Everyone thinks he's totally overplayed his hand. Everyone was thinking he would be one of the people who would probably be standing in a leadership election in the future. Most people would have been alright with that. And now he looks like a total and utterly disloyal and self-serving moron.

“The stuff about the bond markets makes him seem not serious ... he just can’t help himself.”

The MP added: “Instead of us focusing on what we want to talk about, what the UK Labour government is delivering and what the SNP isn’t delivering, he’s taking up column inches talking about himself.

“I think it shows a total disregard for my colleagues in Scotland and in other parts of the country which are facing elections next year.”

Mr Burnham has unsuccessfully stood for the Labour leadership twice in the past - in 2010 and 2015. He became Greater Manchester Mayor in 2017 and has three years left of his existing term. Mr Burnham was previously MP for Leigh and served in Gordon Brown’s cabinet.

Pressure has increased recently on Prime Minister Keir Starmer after a couple of scandals this month.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was forced to resign over not paying £40,000 stamp duty on a second home. US ambassador Peter Mandelson was then sacked after revelations about his relationship with notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The latter cast doubts on the PM’s judgment, given that it was known Lord Mandelson had continued his relationship with Mr Epstein after he was convicted.

It resulted in previously loyal MPs questioning Sir Keir’s leadership. It seems to be this which has sparked Mr Burnham’s alleged leadership ambitions.

Deputy leadership election

On top of this, Ms Rayner’s resignation means there is a deputy leadership contest underway. The two candidates are Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and former Leader of the Commons Lucy Powell.

Ms Phillipson is being considered by some as the leadership’s candidate, as she is in the Cabinet.

Ms Powell has tried to portray herself as an outsider because she is no longer in government - even though she only left a matter of weeks ago.

Ms Powell is considered the favourite because it is expected the membership will want to have a go at the government. But one Scots MP claimed Sir Keir would be happy with either candidate.

They said: “The day that Angela Rayner resigned as deputy leader of the Labour Party, imagine if you had told Keir Starmer then that the two options will be Bridget Phillipson or Lucy Powell.

“He would have snapped your hand off for that. Either candidate would be good.”

Another MP said: “It’s a contest that we wish we didn’t want to have. It’s an election for deputy leader, it’s not about whether you like the party leadership.

”We don’t want any distractions. Bridget has suggested she wants to lift the two-child cap, which would help.”

Scottish Labour

Another part of the conference is there is a new Scottish Secretary, Douglas Alexander. Having taken over from his sacked predecessor Ian Murray earlier this month, Mr Alexander will speak onstage on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Murray’s sacking led to a briefing war within Scottish Labour circles, although it is believed to have calmed down now. At the conference, Scottish Labour MPs and MSPs will be speaking at various events and panels.

They will be using the conference to set up for next year’s Holyrood election. Their main focus is trying to shine a light on SNP failures, and pointing out the SNP has been in office for 17 years longer than Labour has.

The Prime Minister and those who work in his office have regularly been speaking with Scottish Labour MPs about Scotland, and want to support Anas Sarwar in his bid to become first minster. But they have also emphasised they want the campaign to be led by Mr Sarwar.

Scottish Labour figures are confident they have better campaign staff, a better field operation and a better digital operation than the SNP. They are also confident Mr Sarwar is a strong leader who can resonate with the public.

They hope that John Swinney’s long time in the Scottish Government will count against him.

This is the final conference before the Scottish Parliament election. With Scottish Labour trailing in the polls, they will be hoping this conference is the start for turning things around.