BIRMINGHAM, June 26 — Former Royal Marine and Labour MP Al Carns has confirmed he will only challenge Andy Burnham for the premiership if the expected economic plan falls short of what he calls “bold and courageous” leadership. In an exclusive conversation with BirminghamLive at the Cherry Reds pub in Birmingham city centre, Carns stated plainly that he has not ruled out standing against Burnham.
“I have not yet stood up to challenge him but nor have I ruled that out because we haven’t seen the (Andy Burnham economic) plan yet,” Carns said, according to the report. “We expect to see that Monday or Tuesday.
Then we will see.” The timing is significant. Carns’ remarks come after a whirlwind fortnight that began with his dramatic resignation from Keir Starmer’s government, an event that paved the way for Starmer’s own resignation days later. According to the account, Carns is now the only Labour MP who appears willing to stand in Burnham’s path as the party moves toward anointing its next leader.
Burnham, the country’s newest MP following his by-election victory in Makerfield, is widely expected to succeed Starmer as both Labour leader and Prime Minister. Other potential challengers have reportedly stepped aside, leaving Carns as the sole figure who may yet force a contest.
The MP for Selly Oak was described as remarkably composed despite the attention, sitting with sunglasses perched on his head and a pint in hand as the sun beat down on Birmingham city centre.
He has been appearing on politics programmes and news websites over the past fortnight, positioning himself as a figure who might yet pull away what the report calls “the red carpet being laid to Number 10 for Burnham.” Carns is calling on Burnham to be “bold and courageous,” warning that failure to do so risks letting down “our people and our country.” The precise contents of Burnham’s economic plan remain undisclosed, with the public expected to see it early next week. The strategic context is clear.
Carns has just left the cauldron of Westminster to return to his Selly Oak constituency, and he appears unflummoxed by the political storm swirling around him — a storm he largely created. His resignation from government triggered a chain of events that reshaped the Labour leadership landscape, and he now holds a position of unusual influence for a backbench MP.
Whether Carns ultimately files a challenge depends entirely on what Burnham unveils. The record shows that Carns has not yet committed to standing, but he has also conspicuously refused to rule it out. For a man who has already demonstrated a willingness to break with party discipline in dramatic fashion, the coming days will determine whether he follows through.
All eyes now turn to Monday or Tuesday, when Burnham’s economic blueprint is expected to be presented. If it meets Carns’ standard of boldness, the path to Number 10 remains clear.
If it does not, the Labour Party may face a leadership contest it had assumed was already settled.
