‘We’re Going To Give Them Hope Back’: Andy Burnham Officially Becomes Labour Leader

Posted on 17/07/2026 by Boris Clair

Andy Burnham has officially been crowned as the leader of the Labour Party, meaning he is days away from being de facto prime minister.

The Makerfield MP will have to wait until Monday to formally take over from Keir Starmer in No.10, as a quirk in the rules means he could not take both titles on the same day.

Burnham ran uncontested to be the next leader of the largest party in the Commons with the support of more than 350 of Labour’s 403 MPs.

In his first speech as Labour leader, he promised he would help to give Brits “hope back”.

He said his supporters “heard the call from the people of Makerfield on behalf of forgotten places everywhere, up and down this country, for a return of the Labour they once knew”.

He added: “And now we answer that call. We will be that version of Labour again.”

Burnham, who has run three times to lead the party, promised he is “ready” to lead Labour now after his nine-year stint as Greater Manchester mayor.

He also praised Starmer for making the party electable after its shocking defeat in the 2019 general election.

He then began to outline what changes he wants to implement, promising: “Change starts with honesty.

“We must recognise that this generation of politicians, myself included, have failed to challenge a political culture and an economic model that simply doesn’t work well enough for ordinary people.

“Four decades of neoliberalism that began in the 1980s have not been kind to the places that built our party, nor to the communities across the UK in rural and coastal areas. So we pledge today to them to be better.”

He added that the public has given his party a “last chance” to implement change – and that he will take the country in a direction which is “distinctively Labour”.

Burnham made five promises to improve the party, too.

He said he would work to build a “new politics”, change Labour’s “political direction”, be a leader for the entirety of the UK, take power back from Westminster and Whitehall and work to stop Labour in-fighting.

Burnham has had a rapid ascent to Downing Street in recent months.

Support for the then-Greater Manchester mayor started to rise as Starmer’s successor after the party’s disastrous performance in the May elections in England, Scotland and Wales.

However, as he did not have a seat in the Commons, Burnham was not able to challenge Starmer’s premiership.

So Josh Simons, Makerfield MP, stood aside to trigger a by-election and give Burnham a chance to return to the Commons.

His comfortable victory over Reform UK last month only strengthened calls for Starmer to step down.

The prime minister subsequently resigned and Labour MPs rushed to endorse Burnham.

There is still plenty of mystery around what Burnham intends to do in office as he avoided any major press conferences and is yet to announce who he wants in his cabinet.

But he insisted today that he “has a plan” and that he will “not change”, staying loyal to his style.

“I have listened and learned as I have gone along, you’ll be pleased to know. And hopefully I’ve got better as a result,” Burnham said. “You can be sure of this: I know what I believe after 25 years as an elected Labour representative, and I know what I want to do with you all. I have a plan.

“What I also want you to know is I won’t change. I have a style and it’s my style. I will always stay close to the ground, close to the people.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Burnham Under Fire As Labour Blocks Vote To Force Him To Face Commons On First Day As PM

Posted on 14/07/2026 by Boris Clair

Andy Burnham has been slammed after Labour blocked a vote which could have forced him to face the Commons on his first day as prime minister.

The Makerfield MP is set to be crowned as the Labour leader on Friday having run unchallenged to be Keir Starmer’s replacement.

However, an MP cannot become party leader and prime minister on the same day – meaning Burnham will get the keys to No.10 on Monday, July 20.

MPs were already scheduled to start their six-week summer recess on Thursday, July 16, so the Commons will not be sitting on the new PM’s first day.

There is no constitutional rule calling for a prime minister to appear before MPs immediately after being appointed by the monarch.

The Conservatives wanted to use their pre-arranged opposition day debate on Wednesday to table a motion saying the Commons should delay recess so Burnham can address MPs next Monday as the new prime minister.

But the leader of the Commons, Labour’s Alan Campbell, announced on Tuesday there had been a change in parliamentary business.

Instead, MPs would have a general debate on the ongoing situation in Iran.

The Tories’ shadow leader of the Commons Jesse Norman said the public would conclude Burnham was “running scared of public scrutiny before he can even take office”.

“The government has a majority of more than 150 and it could not trust its MPs to vote the right way on that motion [delaying the recess], and it could not bear the idea of a new prime minister facing any scrutiny before September,” Norman said.

“A prime minister, let me remind us all, who has been chosen by a coronation not a contest, with no known platform, almost no known policies, and no idea of his priorities or indeed his cabinet team.”

Campbell dismissed Norman’s claim, insisting it was important for MPs to have a chance to debate what was happening in Iran.

He claimed he was unaware of the motion the Tories were going to table on Wednesday, insisting he was “telling the absolute truth” at the despatch box.

The Commons leader also accused the Tories of playing games, saying: “People listening to this… will do so with a degree of incredulity that [the Conservative party] was preferring to go down a route of playing some weird political game while the Middle East is on the brink of conflagration.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrote on X: In an unprecedented move, Labour have scrapped the Conservative vote to force Andy Burnham to come to Parliament to answer questions when he becomes PM on Monday.

“Labour are running scared because they know the honeymoon will be over the minute he has to tell us his plans.”

Burnham has already faced significant backlash for dodging scrutiny on his hurried journey to No.10.

Since winning the Makerfield by-election last month, he has avoided making any statements in the House of Commons and has not held any press conferences.

There is plenty of mystery around what he plans to do as prime minister, especially since he did not have to have any debates with leadership rivals also vying for Starmer’s role.

JD Vance Says ‘Something Is Very Broken In British Politics’ In Swipe At Starmer

Posted on 05/07/2026 by Boris Clair

JD Vance has declared “something is very broken in British politics” as the UK prepares for its seventh prime minister in just over a decade.

The American vice-president said Britain “can do a lot more than it’s currently doing” to help its voters in a dig at the current prime minister.

Speaking two weeks before Keir Starmer is expected to hand the keys of No.10 over to Andy Burnham, Vance expressed alarm about the high turnover in Downing Street.

He said: “What that says to me is that something is very broken about British politics and that people are really crying out for significant structural change.”

He claimed he did not know much about the former Manchester mayor but added that the UK is “one of our closest and most important allies” and that the US administration would work with any new leader “as successfully as we can.”

Vance continued: “I hope that Andy Burnham – and if not Andy Burnham, somebody else – is able to deliver [change]. Because Britain is such a beautiful country, such an amazing place.”

Speaking on the 250th year of US independence, Vance claimed he is interested in the UK because of “reasons of mutual interest” and expressed hope that “whoever the prime minister is figures out how to get Britain back on track”.

“I also just care about it because Britain feels more culturally familiar to me than any country on Earth, aside from my own,” Vance said.

His words come after Donald Trump was significantly less diplomatic about Burnham.

The US president described him as an “extremely liberal” politician who “probably won’t open up” the North Sea for further oil and gas drilling.

He also called the former Greater Manchester mayor as “the mayor of a town”.

Burnham is yet to say what his approach to the mercurial president would be.

Starmer bent over backwards to forge a strong bond with Trump and even gave him an unprecedented second state visit to the UK.

However the two fell out after the prime minister refused to let the US use UK military bases to launch attacks on Tehran earlier this year.

Andy Burnham Has Been Tipped To Bring Another New Labour Big Beast Into Government

Posted on 03/07/2026 by Boris Clair

Andy Burnham has been tipped to bring back another senior figure from the New Labour era in his new-look government.

The former mayor of Manchester – who served as a minister under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown – will officially take over as prime minister from Keir Starmer on July 20.

It has already emerged that his close friend James Purnell, who also served in cabinet during Labour’s last time in power, will be the new No.10 chief of staff.

David Miliband, another New Labour figure, could also be given a seat in the House of Lords in order to become foreign secretary.

Meanwhile, the i newspaper reported that Ed Balls could also be handed a peerage and given a role in Burnham’s government.

HuffPost UK has learned that another New Labour big beast who could make a dramatic comeback is Alan Milburn.

The former health secretary has held talks with Burnham about his review into record levels of unemployment among 18 to 24-year-olds.

In a speech last week, the PM-in-waiting said he wanted to introduce major education reforms which would place greater emphasis on technical qualifications rather than forcing pupils to study at university.

One minister said: “I can see Alan being brought into Andy’s government. He seems to like what Milburn has been saying about getting young people into work.”

Another source said: “Andy keeps referencing Milburn in his speeches, and Alan is clearly up for it.

“It would make sense to allow Alan to drive through his own reforms on youth unemployment as a minister.”

Asked whether Milburn could be handed a role once Burnham becomes prime minister, a source close to the new Makerfield MP insisted he had offered “no jobs and no deals”.

Milburn, who was the MP for Darlington from 1992 until 2010, was seen as an arch-Blairite during his time in government.

As well as being health secretary, he also serves as chief secretary to the Treasury and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster under the former prime minister.

After leaving Westminster, he was chair of the Social Mobility Commission between 2012 and 2017.

Like David MIliband, he would need to be made a peer in order to re-enter government.

Analysis: Andy Burnham’s Big Speech Left Big Questions He Refused To Answer

Posted on 29/06/2026 by Boris Clair

Andy Burnham today showed exactly why Labour MPs are desperate for him to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister as he laid out his vision for the country.

The former mayor of Greater Manchester was pretty much everything the current PM is not.

From the smart-casual clothes he wore to the easy charm with which he delivered his speech, this was clearly a man who – unlike Starmer – is very comfortable in his own skin.

His remedy for the UK’s ills also stand in marked contrast to the man who he will replace in 10 Downing Street in less than a month’s time.

Burnham was clear that he wants nothing less than the complete “rewiring” of the way Britain is run, with a huge shift of power away from Westminster to local communities and regions across England.

That, he said, would lead to the biggest council house building programme of the post-war period, economic growth “in every postcode”, lower energy bills and prices coming down in the shops.

He also signalled a massive change in education policy, with a greater focus on technical qualifications rather than the drive to get more young people to go to university.

“I am going to do things differently,” Burnham declared. “I am going to break with the ‘more of the same’ approach that has got us here.

“I am going to give Britain the circuit-breaker it needs by building a more collaborative politics in Westminster, by taking power out of the centre and putting it in the hands of the people and places who can use it best.”

A bit like motherhood and apple pie, there was little in the speech that any reasonable person could, in good faith, take exception to.

But for all the soaring rhetoric about putting “hope in every heart”, it lacked one important thing: an explanation of how it will all work in practice.

Burnham failed to explain how putting more power in the hands of local politicians rather than those in Whitehall will magically improve the lives of everyone in the country was not explained.

It was therefore unfortunate, to put it mildly, that the many journalists who had been invited to watch the speech were not then given the opportunity to ask him questions about it.

Because let’s not forget, this is a man who was not even an MP a month ago, and yet stands on the threshold of assuming the highest office in the land without even having to go to the trouble of winning a leadership contest, let alone a general election.

What’s more, he is a man who – for all his previous ministerial experience from 20 years ago – has not even been an MP for the best part of a decade.

If this is not the time for him to answer detailed questions about what exactly he plans to do with the reins of power, then when till it be?

How does he plan to stop the small boats crossing the English Channel, for instance, or get to grips with the ballooning welfare bill?

And that’s before we even come to how he plans to deal with the threat posed by Vladimir Putin or repair the UK government’s relations with Donald Trump’s White House.

Which brings us to another – more worrying – difference between Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer.

For all his faults, the soon-to-be-former PM would not have made a speech like that and then refused to take any questions on it.

Starmer Opens Door For Burnham To Start Receiving Government Briefings ‘As Soon As Possible’

Posted on 23/06/2026 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer has opened the door for his likely successor Andy Burnham to start receiving government briefings as soon as possible.

The spokesperson for No.10 told reporters: “The prime minister wants a smooth transition, and has been clear that he wants to make this as easy as possible.

“That’s why the prime minister has agreed that access talks can take place with prospective candidates for the Labour leadership as soon as possible and before formal nominations have closed [on July 16].”

The prime minister’s spokesperson said that means they could start before nominations open on July 9.

So far only Burnham, who was sworn in as the Makerfield MP on Monday, has publicly confirmed that he will be running to replace Starmer.

Former health secretary Wes Streeting was expected to join any contest, but he has since announced he will be backing Burnham.

All eyes are on chief secretary to the PM Darren Jones and former Armed Forces minister Al Carns to see if they have the backing of the 81 MPs needed to join the race.

If Burnham runs uncontested, he could be in No.10 by July 17 or 18 at the earliest.

If there is a competition, Starmer explained on Monday that a battle for the crown will run across the summer and his replacement would be installed by September 1.

It’s unclear how the Cabinet Office will define a “prospective” candidate.

These confidential “access talks” will be led and coordinated by cabinet secretary Antonia Romeo.

Ministers will not be present and will not receive a report of discussions in line with the Civil Service Code.

Romeo will have overall responsibility for coordinating the process “once a request has been made and authorised by the prime minister”, according to the spokesperson.

The talks will focus on “formation of government and key policy priorities” so the civil service can “prepare for any outcome”.

“The civil service’s focus remains on serving the government of the day in line with the Civil Service Code,” the spokesperson said.

It’s understood there has not yet been a request to see these government briefings.

The prime minister also held his first cabinet meeting this morning since he announced his resignation.

According to the readout released by Downing Street, Starmer told his colleagues “he wanted whoever became the next prime minister to succeed.”

“He added he wanted an orderly transition, as he had set out yesterday, and would seek to resolve difficult issues in the coming weeks to support his successor.

“The prime minister said he would seek to make the transition as easy as possible, giving his full support to whoever followed in his footsteps.”

His official spokesperson also revealed the government will not make any major announcements or spending commitments until the new PM is in no.10.

As the UK’s top civil servant, Romeo has written to heads of departments advising them on how to continue as the “business of government will proceed as normal”.

However, the spokesperson said the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan will still be published before the Nato summit on July 7 – and is expected to include new spending plans.

This may prove to be an obstacle with Burnham as he allegedly wants to make a decision on spending himself, according to The Times.

‘Thank You, Dear Keir’: Reaction To Starmer’s Resignation Rolls In

Posted on 22/06/2026 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer’s decision to stand down was hardly a surprise, but politicians across the political spectrum – and around the world – have rallied to pay tribute to the outgoing prime minister.

The PM declared he was standing down as Labour leader on Monday and set out a timetable for his official departure from No.10.

In an emotional speech, he said he was leaving in “good grace” after accepting that the Parliamentary Labour Party did not want him to lead them into the next general election.

It comes after his greatest rival Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election last Friday.

As Labour’s most popular politician, the former Greater Manchester mayor was already expected to challenge the prime minister and win any subsequent leadership contest.

Here’s how Starmer’s Labour colleagues, international allies and domestic opponents responded to his resignation.

Labour Party

Burnham, who has already thrown his hat into the ring to be Starmer’s successor, said: “Keir has given huge service to our country and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period.

“His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way.”

Former health secretary Wes Streeting, who was briefly considered a leadership hopeful, said he backed Burnham as Streeting’s replacement and added that Starmer “has made the right decision to stand down as Leader of the Labour Party that he saved”.

Starmer’s cabinet also paid tribute to him, with deputy prime minister David Lammy saying he “incredibly proud to have played my part” in Starmer’s government.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves praised Starmer for “taking our party from the worst defeat in modern history” to a landslide victory in just four years.

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said Starmer’s achievements “will never be forgotten” and that he put us “on the path to the change we promised at the last election”.

She added: “A devoted and dedicated public servant, we owe him our deepest thanks.”

Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper echoed this sentiment, saying the country is stronger and fairer “because of what Keir has done over the last six years”.

Former deputy PM Angela Rayner extended her sympathies to Starmer, saying: “History will remember not just the challenges he faced but the achievements he oversaw.”

Energy secretary Ed Miliband said Starmer can be “immensely proud of his achievement” and that his statement showed “great dignity and integrity”.

One of Starmer’s closest allies, the attorney general Lord Hermer, told Sky News that the PM was not “angry” at being forced out of office.

He said: “I would be, but I don’t think he is.

“I think he is someone who is genuinely focused on the country and doing the right thing, and you saw that on the podium today.”

Anna Turley, chair of the Labour Party, wrote in a statement: “I’m sorry that the nature of politics now is so impatient, so unforgiving, and so personally brutal.

“You have shown that in a world of easy promises, irresponsible rhetoric and lazy, dangerous populism, it is still possible to do things the right way – to show duty, decency and the real patriotism of hard work and service.”

Opposition Parties

Leader of the opposition, the Tories’ Kemi Badenoch, was less forgiving.

She wrote on X: “Britain is not ungovernable. Keir Starmer is a terrible Prime Minister.

“But the problem isn’t just Starmer. Labour MPs only want higher taxes to hand out more benefits, as the Welfare Secretary has pointed out. These are Labour’s choices and their values, regardless of who is running the party.”

The Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “The British people are sick of being let down by an endless merry-go-round of prime ministers while nothing really changes for them.

“This time must be different. It can’t just be about changing who’s in Number 10, it has to be about changing our broken politics so we can fix our country.”

He added: “Whoever becomes prime minister needs to drop the caution and complacency and show the ambition our country deserves.”

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: “The country needs a bold change of direction. Starmer lost the confidence of the country because of his abject failure to challenge the power and wealth of an establishment which has taken for themselves while leaving the vast majority in a cost of living crisis and facing the worst impacts of the climate and nature crisis.”

“We are still waiting to see which version of Andy Burnham might going to show up in Downing Street,” he added. “Burnham must be bold or he will be bust.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called for a general election, writing on X: “I’ve had enough of waiting around. Britain needs change – real change, not another washed-up has-been shoved into place by the uniparty.

“If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming. Reform is ready for an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change.”

SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister John Swinney paid tribute to Starmer in a statement, saying: “On a personal level, I wish the prime minister and his family well.

“Leadership is tough, and can make extraordinary demands both on the leader and their families. Sir Keir Starmer has made the right decision. It was past time for him to face reality and the fact he now has allows some hope that things can change.”

International Allies

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Starmer on on X, writing: “The United Kingdom has been, is, and will remain among the world’s leaders.

“Here in Ukraine, we deeply value Britain, and every meeting and every conversation we have had has always been filled with real substance.

“Thank you for always being in touch, always engaged, and always striving to do what is needed and what will truly help.”

He added: “Keir, you are always a welcome guest in Ukraine.”

European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, thanked Starmer for his work on rebuilding the UK’s relationship with the EU.

She said: “It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years.

“European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”

Former Czech prime minister Petr Fiala paid tribute to Starmer for his “clear and principled support for Ukraine”, and helped to unlock new levels of UK-EU cooperation.

He added: “Today, rational and decent politicians face an increasingly difficult environment. Starmer moved the Labour Party towards the political centre and strengthened the United Kingdom’s position abroad. In the end, it was not enough.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement that he considers Starmer “a friend” and notes “politics can also be a harsh business”.

He added: “When the time comes for Keir to leave Downing Street, he can be proud of the contribution he has made to the country he loves and to the Labour party that he led back to government in 2024.”

Laura Kuenssberg Skewers Top Tory Over Humiliating By-Election Result

Posted on 21/06/2026 by Boris Clair

Laura Kuenssberg put a top Conservative under the microscope on Sunday with a brutal reminder of just how poorly the party did in the Makerfield by-election.

Labour’s Andy Burnham secured the north-west seat on Thursday with 54.8% of the vote while Reform UK’s Rob Kenyon came in second, with 34.5%.

The rising far-right group Restore Britain secured 6.8%, equal to 3,111 votes while the Conservatives’ Michael Winstanley came in fourth with just 997 votes – 2.2% of the vote share.

That means the official opposition lost their £500 deposit, as they secured less than 5% of the vote.

On her BBC show, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the presenter asked shadow chancellor Mel Stride to defend the shocking performance.

But the Conservative MP deflected by talking about the Aberdeen South by-election result, where the Tories took a seat from the SNP last Thursday.

“First win in a by-election in Scotland since 1967,” he said. “It shows what good, clear, policy offering can deliver.”

He continued: “In Makerfield, that has been a Labour stronghold for about 100, 120, years. I think the big story was actually the weakness of Reform in the face of that challenge…”

“But in 2019, you got 34% of the vote in Makerfield,” Kuenssberg reminded him. “This time you got 2%.

“In those kinds of parts of the country, that suggests you’ve gone way back.

“A leader like Boris Johnson had a hope in those in kind of constituencies.

“Under Kemi Badenoch, it doesn’t seem like you do.”

He replied: “In 2019, we swept away a number of red wall seats and that was not one of them. That has been historically Labour and solidly Labour for a very long time.”

“So it’s OK that you got 997 voters, then?” Kuenssberg said.

But Stride replied by once again referring to Reform UK’s performance, insisting they were coming down in the polls.

“They’re not surging [in popularity] the way they were last year, but you don’t look competitive yet,” she replied.

#bbclaurak: In Makerfield you got 997 votes, not even a 1000

Mel Stride(Tory MP): Aberdeen South… Makerfield is a Labour stronghold..

LK: You say you never had a hope in Makerfield, but in 2019 you got 34% of the vote & this time you got 2%.. 👀 pic.twitter.com/2vTCRD1u40

— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) June 21, 2026

Nigel Farage’s party has long tried to position itself as the real opposition to the government by displacing the Conservatives.

But Reform UK struggled to compete against Burnham in Makerfield, making it the third straight by-election loss for the party after separate contests in Gorton and Denton, and Caerphilly.

Reform Accused Of ‘Dragging Politics Into Gutter’ After Councillor Posts Fake Makerfield Poll

Posted on 10/06/2026 by Boris Clair

Reform UK have been accused of “dragging politics into the gutter” after one of the party’s councillors posted a fake opinion poll about the Makerfield by-election.

Sarah Mason claimed Reform and Labour are neck-and-neck on 44% each just over a week out from polling day on June 18.

The councillor's now-deleted tweet. — The councillor’s now-deleted tweet.

She later posted on X: “I thought I’d join in with the made-up polls.”

Mason admitted she had made up the poll.

Mason, who is a councillor in Scarborough, has now deleted her original post after an online backlash.

According to the most recent poll in the seat, Labour’s Andy Burnham is 10 points ahead of Reform’s Robert Kenyon.

Reform’s campaign has been dogged by revelations about Kenyon’s social media history.

It emerged he had shared a series of sexist, anti-vaccine, anti-abortion and pro-Russia comments online over the years – including lewd remarks about presenter Carol Vorderman and confusing statements about whether he even voted for Brexit himself.

A Labour spokesperson said: “Reform are dragging politics into the gutter.

“They’re stooping to new lows online because they know Robert Kenyon isn’t fit to be an MP – yet they won’t admit it.

“Instead of spreading misinformation online they should be forcing their candidate to apologise to the public for the vile comments he’s made about women and disgusting false narratives he’s peddled over the Manchester Arena bombing.

“While Reform continues to be mired in scandal and they reach for desperate underhand tactics, Labour’s Andy Burnham is determined to deliver the investment and fairer future all communities across Makerfield deserve.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Streeting Throws Down Brexit Gauntlet To Burnham As Rivals Vie To Replace Starmer

Posted on 17/05/2026 by Boris Clair

Wes Streeting vowed that the UK will one day rejoin the European Union as Labour Brexit splits burst into the open again.

The former health secretary, who quit the cabinet last week in protest at Keir Starmer’s leadership, said the decision to quit the EU had been a “catastrophic mistake”.

He told an event run by the centre-left thing-tank Progress: “The biggest economic opportunity we have is on our doorstep.

“We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain’s future lies with Europe – and one day back in the European Union.”

His comments are potentially awkward for Andy Burnham, who he could face in a battle for the Labour leadership within weeks.

Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has said in the past that he wants to rejoin the EU.

However, he is set to be Labour’s candidate in the upcoming by-election in Makerfield, where the majority of voters backed Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

Asked by ITV on Saturday whether he was still in favour of rejoining the EU, Burnham dodged the question.

He said: “I’ve said in the long term there is a case for that, but I’m not advocating that in this by-election.

“In fact, what I am saying is focus now domestically, Britain has got to focus very much on the here and now and the issues that are affecting people.”

Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: “Whilst Labour relitigate Brexit, Britain is not being governed.

“This is yet another distraction from the day job at a time when families and businesses want the Government focused on the cost of living, the economy, public services and Britain’s defence.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey meanwhile said Mr Streeting must “offer something more than the same failed red lines as Keir Starmer” if he is to succeed the Prime Minister, and called for negotiations on a customs union with the EU to be opened.

Starmer has said he wants to see much closer ties with Europe, but insisted Labour will stick to its manifesto red lines of not rejoining the EU single market and customs union, or bringing back freedom of movement.

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy slapped down Streeting over his comments.

She told Sky News: “If rejoining the EU is the answer to what we were just told loud and clear by the country and parts of the country like mine, where we lost 25 out of 25 wards, 24 of them to Reform.

“If rejoining the EU is the answer, then essentially what we’re saying to people is life was fine in 2015, we just need to go back there. I know Wes is coming up to campaign in the by-election quite soon.

“He will hear loud and clear from people in places like Wigan, Ashton, Winstanley, across Makerfield, that that is absolutely not the case.”

WellnessMaster

Get The Latest News on Holistic Wellness

Tag Archives: andy burnham