The Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce to the nation that he is stepping down with a speech outside Downing Street shortly
Starmer will become the fifth out of the last six British prime ministers to vacate Downing Street without having lost an election.
It is understood that the Prime Minister’s chief of staff has announced to Number 10 staff he is resigning
Starmer has spent the weekend at Chequers contemplating his future with speculation that today he will announce that he is stepping down as Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is expected to set out a timetable for his exit as Andy Burnham arrives in Westminster to be sworn in as an MP following last week’s victory in the Makerfield by election
Cabinet support for Starmer’s premiership ebbed away over the weekend and Party sources suggested he must announce his departure by Tuesday morning, when the Cabinet next meets, or face a wave of resignations.
Reports this morning say that Sndy Burnham wants an orderly and smooth transition to take place over the summer and to take over in September
A source close to Burnham said: “There are a couple of summer milestones that understandably Keir will want to be a part of and see as part of his legacy. But Andy must be leader in September — it will be an important watershed moment and a clean break.”
However reports also the message coming from many members appears much clearer. There must be a Labour leadership contest. A coronation cannot be allowed to take place. If it does, the backlash could be far greater than many of those involved have anticipated.
It is becoming increasingly clear that Andy Burnham does not possess an unquestionable mandate, and many within Labour are beginning to realise that any new leadership will ultimately have to prove itself to the country as well
