Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham met for the first time since the Makerfield by-election on Tuesday – and it was, according to a Downing Street insider, “frosty”. The hour-long meeting, held away from No 10, was meant to smooth the path of a transition of power after Starmer announced he is standing down as prime minister. But deep resentment in Starmer’s inner circle towards Burnham for ousting him was evident. “Keir has shown time and again that he will put the interests of the country first but it is fair to say the meeting wasn’t the warmest. Frosty, even,” the insider said.
Starmer has agreed to grant Burnham access talks with the civil service, including the cabinet secretary, Antonia Romeo, to prepare for government. The talks – which normally take place with the opposition leader before a general election – will begin “as soon as possible”, the PM’s spokesman said, and before formal nominations for the Labour leadership close on 16 July. Burnham is the only candidate so far and could become prime minister as early as 17 July if unchallenged.
“Starmer and Burnham hold 'frosty' meeting as defence plan dispute threatens transition.”
But the transition is already strained by a dispute over defence spending. Starmer is pushing to publish his ten-year Defence Investment Plan before he leaves No 10, a move that has enraged Burnham’s allies. At a cabinet meeting, Starmer said he wanted to “resolve difficult issues” before standing down, but his spokesman added that there would be “no new major policy or spending commitments” that could tie his successor’s hands – with the defence plan explicitly excluded from that restriction. One senior source from the Burnham camp was exasperated: “The last lot had years to prepare and still fucked it up. We’ll just have to do it in three weeks.”
If Burnham does take over, he is expected to offer the current chancellor, Rachel Reeves, a junior or mid-level cabinet position, according to one ally. “Andy really respects Rachel and I’m confident he’ll want her in his top team,” the ally told the BBC. Burnham is also likely to appoint former Labour minister James Purnell as his Downing Street chief of staff.
Reform UK Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick, meanwhile, poured scorn on the likely new Labour leader, describing him as “continuity Keir Starmer” and “basically Keir Starmer in a dodgy polo shirt”. Jenrick said Burnham stood for “exactly the same kind of politics” that had failed the country, and predicted he would “very quickly come unstuck” when faced with the realities of government.
Starmer, speaking to his cabinet, said he wanted whoever became the next prime minister to succeed and would “seek to make the transition as easy as possible”. But with a row over defence already bubbling and a shortened timetable, the path to power looks anything but smooth.