Sir Keir Starmer is believed to be on the brink of resigning as Prime Minister, with Andy Burnham due to return to Westminster on Monday after winning the Makerfield by-election. Burnham is expected to press Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure.
Cabinet Pressure Mounts
Over the weekend, Starmer mulled his political future amid reports that Cabinet members, including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, told him to outline a departure plan. Despite No 10 stating that Starmer's position remained unchanged from Friday, when he said he would not “walk away” and would contest any leadership challenge, Business Secretary Peter Kyle did not dismiss questions about Starmer considering resignation.
Kyle told broadcasters on Sunday that the Prime Minister was taking time to “think through what the political realities are today compared to last week, the week before.” He added, “I don’t know the decisions that he will make on behalf of our country,” but that “whatever unfolds” would be a “functional process.”
Burnham’s Return and Transition Demands
Andy Burnham, who won the Makerfield by-election, is due to be sworn in as the Greater Manchester constituency’s MP. Sources indicate Burnham is seeking a transition period of about a month, allowing Starmer to finalize his Defence Investment Plan ahead of the upcoming Nato summit and sign an EU co-operation deal at the second annual reset summit with the bloc in July.
Conservative Reaction
Senior Conservative Alex Burghart, shadow Cabinet Office minister, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that a general election would not be constitutionally necessary if Starmer resigns. However, he argued that replacing the Prime Minister would not solve Britain’s problems. “You can change the person at the top, but if the MPs underneath still think and vote the same way, then nothing will change,” Burghart said. He described Burnham as “totally untested” and doubted a three-month transition would allow him to develop policies to fix the country.
Starmer’s Stance
Starmer has insisted he will fight any leadership challenge, with No 10 reiterating his Friday position. However, Kyle’s comments suggest the situation remains fluid. The day’s events are expected to clarify whether Starmer will resign or face a potential contest.
