Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has urged the Labour Party to pursue 'wholesale change' to confront what he described as an 'existential threat' to Britain. Speaking ahead of Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, Burnham criticised the party’s leadership style under Keir Starmer as 'factional and divisive’. Though often tipped as a future leader, he insisted he was not plotting an immediate return to Westminster, but challenged Labour to present a clear plan to 'turn the country around’. He said he was willing to work with anyone serious about radical reform, citing his efforts to re-nationalise Manchester’s bus network as an example, and suggesting that core services such as housing, energy, water, and rail should return to public ownership. His intervention comes amid political turbulence for Starmer, following Angela Rayner’s resignation over tax errors, the sacking of Peter Mandelson for links to Jeffrey Epstein, and the departure of a senior aide over offensive leaked messages.