Keir Starmer has just told British journalists that Andy Burnham should not launch a leadership contest to oust him because the priority should be to win the by-election to be mayor of Greater Manchester, which would be triggered if Burnham becomes an MP later this week.
Speaking to the press at the G7 meeting the Prime Minister said
We’ve got the by-election tomorrow. First and foremost, I want Andy Burnham to win, and that’s why I’ve encouraged activists and members to go up there during the course of the campaign, and they’ll be up there tomorrow helping to get the vote out.
“Then what happens is we’re immediately tipped into a Manchester mayoral contest by-election, one of the biggest by-elections that we’ve ever fought, because of the scale of it. And it’s really important to my mind that the whole of the Labour Party and Labour movement focuses on that, which is the next most immediate task.
“I don’t think there should be a challenge . I think history, particularly the last government, shows that that isn’t a successful way for a government to behave.
“But if there is a challenge, then I intend to fight. I’m not going to walk away from that, and I’ve been clear and consistent about that.”
Starmer said that he wanted Andy Burnham in his cabinet and acknowledged that he may not lead Labour into the next election,
“We need to turn things around. I think that is obvious from the May elections”
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