Sir Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham met for the first time since the latter’s staggering by-election victory last week, as the outgoing prime minister authorised access talks with the civil service for prospective Labour leadership candidates. The hour-long meeting in Westminster, first reported by the Times, came as Starmer seeks to ensure an “orderly” transition of power after announcing he is standing down following less than two years in office, having lost the support of his own MPs.
Burnham, the only candidate to have emerged so far for the leadership, could become prime minister as early as 17 July if he faces no challenger. His win in the Makerfield by-election – where he took 54% of the vote – has been hailed as a resurrection for a Labour Party left “depressed and moribund” after just two years in power. In his victory speech, Burnham called it Labour’s “final chance to change”, promising to “change the way this country is run” with a campaign heavy on regional grievance and blokey common-sense.
“Starmer meets Burnham after by-election win, grants access talks; Burnham could be PM by 17 July.”
Now the focus shifts to who would serve in a Burnham cabinet. One ally has told the BBC that if Burnham becomes PM, he is expected to offer the current chancellor, Rachel Reeves, a junior or mid-level cabinet position. “Andy really respects Rachel and I’m confident he’ll want her in his top team,” the ally said, though a Burnham spokesperson stressed no decisions have been made. Reeves’s team has been contacted for comment. The question of who would replace her as chancellor is wide open, with Ed Miliband, Wes Streeting, John Healey and Yvette Cooper among the names being mooted.
Meanwhile, according to two close allies, Burnham plans to appoint James Purnell – the former culture and pensions secretary under Gordon Brown – as his Downing Street chief of staff. Purnell, who quit as an MP in 2010 and later worked as a senior BBC executive, university vice-chancellor and most recently CEO of the lobbying firm Flint Global, would bring deep government experience to the role.
Starmer’s spokesman confirmed that the access talks – usually granted to opposition leaders before a general election – would begin “as soon as possible” and before the formal leadership nomination deadline on 16 July. The talks will focus on the “formation of government and key policy priorities” and include security briefings. The spokesman added that he did not know if Burnham had formally requested the access talks, saying the decision had “only just been made”.
At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, Starmer told ministers that he wants whoever becomes the next prime minister to succeed and will “seek to resolve difficult issues in the coming weeks to support his successor”. The political drama now turns on whether anyone will challenge Burnham for the leadership – or whether the King in the North will be crowned without a contest.