The race to potentially challenge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for Labour leadership dominates Monday’s papers. The Guardian leads with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s allies saying he faces a “perilous” road ahead to winning the Makerfield by-election. While the paper says Burnham will likely be confirmed as Labour’s candidate for the north-west constituency, he faces an “uphill battle” to beat Reform UK, with polls suggesting Burnham is only marginally ahead.The Times follows with more comments from Burnham’s allies who have accused former Health Secretary Wes Streeting of “sabotage” by reopening Labour’s Brexit battles and playing into the hands of Reform UK. It quotes one cabinet minister who says Streeting and Burnham’s battle as frontrunners to challenge the PM was making Sir Keir look like an “island of stability and sanity”. “Backlash over Brexit betrayal” is the headline on the Daily Mail as it reports that Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has hit back at calls by Streeting and Burnham to rejoin the EU, saying the move would be a “disaster”. The paper also features Lord Michael Gove – one of the architects of Brexit – warning that rejoining the bloc would be a “betrayal”.As a result of the backlash, the Daily Telegraph says Burnham is now distancing himself from calls to rejoin the EU, with a spokesman for the Greater Manchester mayor insisting he would be campaigning on local issues and would not be standing on a “national manifesto”.“Burnham plays down rejoining EU” echoes the Financial Times, quoting Burnham saying he was “not advocating” for the move, but there was a “case” for rejoining the bloc in the long run. Elsewhere, the paper reports on the World Health Organization declaring the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a public health emergency of international concern.Meanwhile, the i Paper says the PM spent his weekend “considering his future” amid the mounting pressure of a potential leadership challenge. Sir Keir and his aids have been in discussions about whether he can revive the government or should announce a timeline for his resignation, the paper reports.Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is backing the PM’s chances as a possible leadership battle rumbles on, saying Sir Keir has “shown before that he’s up for a fight”, the Metro reports. Nandy added that there has been no official challenge to the PM’s position, describing the ongoing speculation as “froth and nonsense”.The Independent also highlights the culture secretary’s support for the PM. The paper quotes Nandy describing Wes Streeting’s call for the UK to rejoin the EU as “odd”, adding the policy was like saying “life was fine in 2015, we just need to go back there.”The Daily Express focuses on remarks by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who warned that Burnham will “betray Brexit voters as he positions himself for power”. Farage added that voters “deserve honesty” from Burnham as the pair head into the closely contested Makerfield by-election.The Daily Star turns its attention to a different issue, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in football. The paper says Burnham is pledging to ban the system because it’s “killing spontaneity” in the sport. The paper speculates: “That’s sure to get voters onside… or maybe not!”The Daily Mirror’s front page spotlights the case of Ben Needham, who was 21 months old when he disappeared on the Greek island of Kos in 1991. The paper says his mother Kerry Needham has been told by UK police that they will no longer continue their inquiries into the case and all future investigations will be undertaken by Greek authorities.Finally, the Sun looks ahead to the World Cup, saying that England’s football stars will be provided with “bespoke mattress toppers and pillows” to guarantee quality sleep as they chase their World Cup dreams.
The Makerfield by-election, in which Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is likely to stand as Labour’s candidate, is on all the front pages.
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The Times says Burnham’s allies are accusing Wes Streeting of “sabotage” after the former health secretary’s comments this weekend that Britain’s future lies in the EU. It quotes one ally as saying that Streeting’s stance is “counterproductive” to Labour winning the by-election. They add that “Wes’s only hope at becoming the next leader is for Andy to lose the by-election”. But a source close to Streeting suggests to the paper his stance is uncontroversial because the mayor of Greater Manchester had also backed rejoining the EU.
The Telegraph says it understands that Burnham will not campaign on reversing Brexit in his battle for the seat. It quotes a spokesperson for him as saying that he would be focusing on local issues, not standing on a “national manifesto”.
The Guardian quotes allies of Burnham who are describing his race to win the by-election as “perilous”. The paper says the outcome is likely to determine not only the immediate political future of Sir Keir Starmer, but also the “viability” of Labour as a whole.
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The i Paper reports that the prime minister has spent the weekend at Chequers “considering his future”, and that he’s been in discussion with aides about whether he can “revive” the government or should announce a timetable for exit.
The Prince of Wales will sell off a fifth of his private estate, the Duchy of Cornwall, in the next decade, according to the Times, as the paper says he plans to invest in housing and nature. The Duchy is spread across 21 counties and has been given to every heir to the throne since the 14th century. The paper reports that Prince William’s plans include funding the building of affordable homes in the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall and Kennington in south London and putting more than two hundred million pounds into wildlife projects.
The Guardian tells the story of the 1970 World Cup Panini sticker book which its owner has finally managed to complete, 56 years after he started it. Stephen Butler had left it in his loft, and on going through it realised it was still missing the sticker for Chile, which hosted the tournament in 1962. The paper says he found one for sale online for £150, and filled the book on the day that Fifa announced it would be ending its partnership with Panini, in 2030.