Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, promises, in his request for permission to stand in a by-election to return to Westminster, “to support the work of the government, not undermine it”.

But his very presence in the House of Commons would be a distraction for the prime minister, according to The Independent.

Sir Keir Starmer has scored successes on the international stage in recent days. He stood firm against Donald Trump on Greenland, and demanded an apology for the US president’s slur on allied forces in Afghanistan.

The Independent wants to see him do better on the domestic front — and it remains to be seen whether he will make the most of his parliamentary majority to deliver sufficient change before the run up to the next general election. At that point, it might become necessary to consider all means necessary to defeat Nigel Farage. We do not believe that it would be in the national interest that the........

© The Frontier Post (Editorial)