Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has revealed that MPs have been privately urging him to return to Westminster to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour Party leadership.

In a major challenge to the Prime Minister’s authority, Mr Burnham appeared to be set out his own manifesto of policies ahead of the 2025 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

Mr Burnham, who received Sir Keir’s backing in the 2015 Labour Party leadership contest, backs hikes council tax on southern homes, borrowing £40billion to build council houses, cutting income tax for low earners and bringing back a 50p rate for the highest paid.

However, the ex-Health Secretary’s admission about the messages he has received from Labour MPs will sound alarm bells for No10.

“People have contacted me throughout the summer – yeah,” the Greater Manchester Mayor told The Telegraph.

“I’m not going to say to you that that hasn’t happened, but as I say, it’s more a decision for those people than it is for me.”

However, the former Leigh MP faces a number of hurdles before challenging Sir Keir for Labour’s leadership.

Mr Burnham would need to resign as Greater Manchester Mayor, win a Westminster seat in a by-election, and receive at least 80 nominations from Labour MPs.