Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has defended Sir Keir Starmer after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham confirmed he would challenge the Prime Minister in any leadership contest. Speaking to LBC on Friday, Lammy said there was no contest at present and that Starmer would stand if one were triggered.
Burnham announced his intention on BBC Question Time's Makerfield by-election special, stating he would seek to join a leadership contest if one were launched. He called for a 'fundamental change' in Westminster to restore public trust. The by-election, triggered by Labour MP Josh Simons' resignation, is expected to be a tight race between Burnham and Reform UK's Robert Kenyon.
A No 10 spokesperson dismissed Burnham's comments, insisting the Labour Party's leadership challenge process had not been triggered. They emphasised the government's focus on delivering for working people, citing cost-of-living support, NHS waiting list cuts, and border control.
Attorney General Lord Hermer also backed Starmer, telling the BBC's Political Thinking podcast that the Prime Minister had been consistently underestimated and would prove critics wrong. 'No-one has ever got rich betting against Keir Starmer,' he said.
A Survation poll released Thursday evening showed Burnham leading with 49% of the vote in Makerfield, ahead of Kenyon on 39%, with other candidates trailing significantly.
