We've spent the morning listening closely to Andy Burnham speaking to callers on BBC Radio Manchester, following reports of a potential leadership challenge.

Here's a quick recap of the key moments:

• 'Not up to me' Burnham confirmed to the BBC that Labour MPs had been in touch to ask him to challenge Keir Starmer, but told them: "It's not my decision"
• But hypothetically...? Asked what he would do in a scenario where he was backed by 80 MPs to become PM, Burnham refused to be drawn
• The 'real challenge' for Labour "It's got to be about more than a personality contest," he said, arguing that the priority for the government was to come up with a plan to beat Reform UK
• What's the PM thinking? Asked whether he was undermining Keir Starmer's leadership, Burnham said his job was to be a strong voice for Greater Manchester
• 'Feeling isn't there' He said voters in north-west England don't believe the government is on their side. "We need to get people back behind the Labour government," he added
• Where there's a moment, there's a Burnham Asked if this was the biggest gamble of his political career, Burnham replied: "Whenever Westminster has kind of gone into a moment, I've somehow been drawn into it"
• Staying put (?) In his closing statement to listeners in the region, he said: "My head is here, I want everyone listening to the hot seat to know that"

Burnham's provocative challenge to Starmer shows he is seriouspublished at 11:00 BST

11:00 BST

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Sometimes politicians of all parties flirt with the possibility of one day becoming leader in suggestive, coy, almost deniable ways.

This is not an example of that. Andy Burnham is being more overt.

To the Telegraph, the Manchester mayor gave a straight answer to a straight question: yes, he had been contacted by Labour MPs "throughout the summer" about the prospect of him returning to Westminster, where he was an MP for 16 years, to lead Labour and replace Starmer as prime minister.

Burnham said this was "more a decision for those people than it is for me". He repeated that line in an interview with BBC Manchester.

Well, up to a point.

Burnham is not an MP. He would have to decide to become one if he wants to be Labour leader and prime minister.

Burnham knew that he would be asked questions about his national ambitions, and that they would create a stir in the days before a crucial party conference for Starmer.

In government, there is frustration and no small amount of bafflement that Burnham has decided to make these interventions now.

• Read Henry Zeffman's full analysis here

Andy Burnham's quickfire Q&A on BBC Radio Manchester has now come to an end.

We'll wrap up all the key exchanges for you shortly - stay with us.

We've just heard from a caller who tells Andy Burnham that he should "stick" to where he is as mayor, as he is doing a "great job".

The caller says that although he would like to see Burnham as leader of the Labour Party, "now is definitely not the time".

Burnham replies that the priority needs to be a "strong plan". He earlier spoke about his view that the Labour Party needs to prioritise a plan to beat Reform UK.

"Beyond anything else, that's what matters most," he says.

Early on in his interview with BBC Radio Manchester, Andy Burnham said that any leadership bid was not up to him, but up to the party.

Watch that moment below:

Burnham is now asked if this is the start of the biggest gamble he's taken in his political career.

Burnham says that the reality, during the 10 years he's been Manchester mayor, is that "whenever Westminster has kind of gone into a moment, I've somehow been drawn into it".

He says he cannot ignore what's happening in London, but emphasises that he hasn't gone out of his way and instead "people have been getting in touch with me".

"I'm here to support the party in whichever way I can," he says.

That wraps up the set of questions to Burnham about leadership woes and they move on to local issues.

We'll keep listening to the programme and bringing you any relevant lines.

Next, Burnham is pressed on whether he is undermining Starmer's leadership and doing a disservice to the Labour Party.

In response, he points to his work on the Hillsborough Law, and says this ensured that Starmer had the support of the Hillsborough families.

Burnham says people in his part of the world, north-west England, don't believe the government is on their side and working for their communities.

"If we're being honest, that feeling isn't there," he says, adding "we need to get people back behind the Labour government".

Burnham's asked about what he would do - in a hypothetical scenario - if he received a message saying that 80 MPs had indicated they would to support him to become PM, and that an MP had offered to surrender their seat for him to contest at by-election.

In response, Burnham says that has not happened and he is not interested in answering hypotheticals, without saying whether or not he would seize that opportunity.

Andy Burnham says he will be behind the government in getting a plan together "for the country" and to "beat Reform", adding that's the biggest issue in front of Labour.

The interviewer then puts it to Burnham that he has been critical of Keir Starmer, to which he responds that he will not be toeing a line and keeping quiet.

Straight in, Andy Burnham is asked about his interview in the Daily Telegraph, in which he said Labour MPs were asking him privately to challenge the prime minister.

Burnham says he was asked a "direct question" and answered it directly.

"It's not up to me, it's not my decision," Burnham says - it's up to the Labour Party, in Parliament.

"It's got to be about more than a personality contest," he adds, saying that it has got to be about a "plan", including to beat Reform UK.

Pressed on whether he's been very critical of Keir Starmer, Burnham says it's his job to be a strong voice for the area of Greater Manchester.

Andy Burnham is behind the mic and begins his phone-in over on BBC Radio Manchester.

Hit watch live above to follow along.

Image source, PA Media

There are several hoops and hurdles Andy Burnham would have to jump through to begin challenging Prime Minister Keir Starmer as the country's leader.

For starters, Burnham is the mayor of Greater Manchester. He is not an MP. Burnham would need to become one, by winning a by-election, and resign as mayor before he could even begin the process of trying to challenge Starmer as Labour leader.

But no by-elections have been called at the moment and there's uncertainty over whether he would be selected as a candidate if the opportunity did arise.

If he did become an MP, he would then have to secure the backing of 80 Labour MPs to challenge Starmer.

His critics have also pointed out that Burnham, a former culture and health secretary, tried and failed twice to become Labour leader when he was an MP.

In previous leadership campaigns, Burnham lost out to Ed Miliband in 2010 and Jeremy Corbyn in 2015.

Burnham came fourth in 2010, and second in 2015, losing out by a wide margin to Corbyn, who won with almost 60% of the vote.

Andy Burnham is up on BBC Radio Manchester shortly for his weekly morning phone-in - we're expecting him from 10:10 BST.

It comes after Burnham – the mayor of Greater Manchester, who is not currently an MP – said that MPs were privately calling on him to challenge Keir Starmer to become Labour leader and prime minister.

What he’s said, at a glance:

• In an interview for the Daily Telegraph, Burnham said he was not "plotting to get back" to Westminster but did not rule out running again for the leadership
• He said: "I stood twice to be leader of the Labour Party. And I think that tells you, doesn't it?"
• This came after a separate interview with the New Statesman, which was widely seen as a pitch for a Labour leadership bid
• In that interview, he criticised Starmer's approach, saying there needed to be "wholesale change" to see off an "existential" threat to Labour

What we're listening out for: As this is a weekly event, expect lots of questions on local issues. We'll be listening closely, though, for any further hints of a leadership bid.

We'll share all the key lines here - follow along by hitting watch live at the top of the page.