Andy Burnham is on course for a coronation to become prime minister as opposition to his leadership bid dramatically melted away following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation.
The Prime Minister announced on Monday he would quit No 10 after months of pressure from Labour MPs, dropping his vow to fight any leadership challenge in an emotional Downing Street speech.
Soon after, Burnham’s main rival for the top job Wes Streeting said he would back the new Makerfield MP instead of running to be leader himself.
Streeting decided to row in behind Burnham after the two men had a conversation over the weekend, The i Paper can reveal. Sources insist there was no deal between the pair.
The former health secretary, who is being talked up as a possible chancellor in a Burnham government, would have changed his mind and thrown his hat into the ring if Starmer had decided to carry on and fight a leadership contest.
Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership, has fallen in behind Andy Burnham (Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)Potential challenges from outsider candidates or factions of the Labour party appeared to be fading on Monday afternoon, raising the possibility that Burnham could be crowned as prime minister on 16 July when nominations for the Labour leadership contest close.
At one point, Starmer loyalist MPs had discussed backing Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Prime Minister, to take on the new Makerfield MP in a contest.
‘It’s over, Andy Burnham has won’
One of those MPs said there was now “no discernible effort” to find another candidate, adding: “I think that ship has sailed.”
Jones had been discussed as an option but “not any more” because Burnham has the “numbers and momentum” behind him.
“It’s over, Andy Burnham has won,” the MP added.
MPs in the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group (SCG), which normally fields a candidate in Labour leadership contests, said this was now unlikely with many in that faction of the party “firmly behind Burnham”.
One MP stressed that while left wingers remain “sceptical” of Burnham, there was “no chance” of the them fielding a candidate.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer hugs his wife, Victoria, after announcing his resignation (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)Another MP on the Labour left said they “very much doubt” the SCG will put up a candidate “because they don’t have the numbers”, with 81 supporters needed to enter the race. Core members of the group will meet on Monday to discuss their plans.
Rachael Maskell, who works closed with the SCG but is not a member, told The i Paper: “I am glad that a transition process has been achieved. We now need to focus on formulating the plan for Government.”
Former defence minister Al Carns, tipped as an outsider, has meanwhile remained tight-lipped about whether he could throw his hat into the ring, although this seems unlikely.
Burnham to hold talks with MPs
Burnham arrived in London via a train from Manchester on Monday afternoon and is expected to hold talks with MPs after confirming he would stand for the leadership after winning a Commons seat in last week’s Makerfield by-election.
“The Labour movement has always been at its strongest when it looks forward with confidence and purpose,” Burnham said.
“This is what we will do from here and we will make sure this transition is a positive process of renewal for our party and our country.”
Streeting said he had spoken with Burnham “at length” and concluded he could “win the fight of our lives against the forces of nationalism”.
He added: “We could spend the summer exaggerating small differences, or we can roll up our sleeves and help him to deliver the change our party and our country needs.”
A source close to Streeting has denied any suggestions of a deal with Burnham, or that he has been offered a Cabinet job in exchange for his support.
The source said: “There’s no deal. Wes hasn’t done this because he’s been offered a job. He’s done it because it’s the best way forward for the country.”
It came after Starmer pledged an “orderly handover of power” and said he would ask Labour’s ruling body to set out a timetable that would see a new leader in place by the time Parliament returns from its summer recess on September 1.
Nominations for his successor will open on 9 July and close on 16 July.
If no one comes forward to take on Burnham, he could become leader without a vote of the membership and is likely to become prime minister on either July 17 or 18.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called for a general election.
“If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming,” he said.
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