It makes me wonder: the obvious extra-parliamentary route to leadership in Britain is the London mayoralty, as Boris Johnson (for better or worse) proved. You have direct executive authority (albeit less than I think they should), so you can have a greater effect than any backbench MP and many ministers. Are the other elected mayoralties of sufficient moment to do the same? (I'm sure Andy Burnham's turned that over in his mind once or twice.) Could a popular, dynamic, effective Mayor of the West Midlands, or of West Yorkshire, or of Liverpool clear a path to his or her party leadership?
It makes me wonder: the obvious extra-parliamentary route to leadership in Britain is the London mayoralty, as Boris Johnson (for better or worse) proved. You have direct executive authority (albeit less than I think they should), so you can have a greater effect than any backbench MP and many ministers. Are the other elected mayoralties of sufficient moment to do the same? (I'm sure Andy Burnham's turned that over in his mind once or twice.) Could a popular, dynamic, effective Mayor of the West Midlands, or of West Yorkshire, or of Liverpool clear a path to his or her party leadership?