King in the North: We asked Mancs if Andy Burnham should be Prime Minister

Reports are swirling that the Manchester mayor could be eyeing up a leadership bid

There are murmurings that if the Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections and the local elections in England go badly for Labour next year, Starmer could be ousted as leader.

And in recent weeks, one man has emerged as a fan favourite to take over from him as Labour leader and prime minister: Andy Burnham.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester hasn't served as an MP since 2017, but reports have claimed he is eyeing up a bid to challenge Starmer.

Whilst Burnham has consistently been a supporter of Keir Starmer's government, he hasn't been afraid to speak out when his party have done things he disagrees with.

For many who have become disaffected by some of Starmer's policies, Burnham is emerging as a left-wing figure that can win back the hearts of working class people drifting to Nigel Farage's right-wing populism.

Several polls have revealed Burnham to be one of the most popular political figures in the UK, with many suggesting Labour could win back large swathes of the electorate with the Northerner as leader and PM.

To add fuel to the fire, Burnham hasn't exactly quashed rumours of a potential leadership challenge during this week's Labour's party conference.

With all of this in mind, we decided to head up north to ask Mancs how they would feel about Burnham moving into Number 10.

Many spoke glowingly of the man who has been mayor of the city for over eight years, pointing to his achievements on public transport reform, especially bringing Manchester’s buses back under public control, and his consistent focus on tackling homelessness and rough sleeping across the city region.

By contrast, Keir Starmer's first year in power was widely criticised by Mancs, describing it as lacklustre, uninspiring, and overly cautious. They argued that Burnham appears more in touch with working-class communities than Starmer, and more willing to take bold positions on issues like housing, transport, and workers’ rights. For many Mancunians, Burnham represents the kind of leadership they feel is missing at the top of British politics.

You can watch our full report below.