Keir Starmer insisted he still wants to be Prime Minister into the 2030s today, even as Labour rivals jostle to replace him. The Prime Minister sounded defiant about his prospects, vowing not to 'walk away' even if potential successor Andy Burnham succeeds in making a Commons return.
The Manchester Mayor is seen as almost certain to get the top job should he manage to win the Makerfield by-election. However, anxiety is rising in Labour ranks at the consequences if the contest – likely to be on June 18 – is lost to Reform. Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner are waiting in the wings as the party teeters on the edge of outright civil war.
Outgoing MP Josh Simons officially quit this morning, taking on the traditional post of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds. Even fans of Mr Burnham say his chances of success could be worse than 50-50, with polls having consistently shown Nigel Farage's outfit on track to win.
Mr Burnham tried to quell a Brexit storm today as he pinned his by-election hopes on a lurch to the Left. The Greater Manchester mayor confirmed that he thought leaving the EU had been 'damaging', but stressed he 'respected' the referendum result and was not pushing for re-entry to the bloc. The comments came as he tries to fend off a Reform challenge in the Brexit-backing Makerfield constituency. Previously Mr Burnham called for the restoration of ties with Brussels 'in my lifetime'.
Giving a speech to a Northern investment summit, he also hit out at 'Neoliberalism' and 'trickle-down' economics, complaining that wealth had been 'siphoned off' from workers. Mr Burnham indicated that the North would get more funding at the expense of the South, arguing that the reverse had been true in a political system that had been failing for 40 years.
But while his potential replacements manoeuvre, Sir Keir showed little sign of budging on a visit in North London this afternoon. 'I do want to fight the next election. Obviously, I recognise that after the local election results, the elections in Wales and Scotland as well, that the first task is obviously turning things around and making sure that my focus is in the right place,' the premier said. 'The last 10 days, there's been a lot of activity, which hasn't been as focused in my view as it should have been, and I remind myself every day that I was elected to office to serve the people, to serve the country, that's what I believe in, and that's what I'll be getting on with.'
