Keir Starmer's right-hand man is mulling a Labour leadership bid as a 'centrist' candidate against Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting, it has been claimed. Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, is said to have drawn up a spreadsheet of names of MPs who might support him as Sir Keir's replacement.
Potential Leadership Challenge
It is thought that Mr Jones would only put his name forward if Sir Keir chooses not to stand himself in a leadership contest. Mr Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, is currently standing as Labour's candidate in the Makerfield by-election as he eyes a return to Parliament. If he succeeds in winning the constituency, Mr Burnham is widely expected to then challenge Sir Keir for the Labour leadership with a Left-wing pitch to MPs. Mr Streeting, the former health secretary who is viewed as on the Right of Labour, is also expected to enter a leadership contest.
Triggering a Contest
For a leadership contest to be triggered against Sir Keir, a challenger must be nominated by at least 20 per cent of Labour MPs – which currently translates to 81 MPs. Mr Jones would pitch himself as the candidate to 'steady the ship' after weeks of Labour chaos in the wake of the party's disastrous results in elections in Scotland, Wales and English councils last month.
A source who has been approached by Mr Jones's team told The Times: 'He's pitching himself as the centrist middle candidate - not Andy and not Wes, but as someone who would steady the ship. He's got a spreadsheet - he's not got the full 81 but he's doing a lot of work.'
But a source close to Mr Jones, who is also the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, insisted the Cabinet minister's focus was on Government business and urged Labour MPs to rally behind the Prime Minister. They said: 'This is all unfounded speculation - there is no such list or pitch and Darren thinks that, after 14 years in the wilderness, everyone should get on with making the most of being in Government.'
Background
Mr Jones has been MP for Bristol North West since the 2017 general election following a career as a solicitor. At the age of 39, he would be the youngest premier in more than 200 years if he did succeed Sir Keir. Mr Jones was a Treasury minister before being named Chief Secretary to the PM in September last year as Sir Keir attempted to move to 'phase two' of his faltering premiership. But the PM's reset was almost immediately derailed just days later by Angela Rayner's resignation as deputy PM following her tax row.
