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keeping his powder dry in order to let other wings of the party put forward alternative candidates. When the truth is that if he ran against Starmer he'd be likely to lose. More candidates opening up the field give him a better shot.

Starmer in his weakened position surely won't try to engineer another stitch-up to keep Burnham out of Parliament, he'd have an all-out mutiny on his hands.

In which case, it will be a case of whether Burnham can win the seat that's been vacated for him. Far from certain but I have a sneaking suspicion he will, buoyed by his personal standing and the anti-Reform vote.

Streeting must be praying he doesn't!