Andy Burnham could sack Chancellor Rachel Reeves if he becomes Prime Minister following Sir Keir Starmer's resignation. The Prime Minister resigned on Tuesday morning, setting a timetable for his departure after mulling his political future over the weekend. Burnham returned to Westminster after winning the Makerfield by-election last week.
Burnham's Plan to Distance Himself from Current Government
It is claimed Burnham would attempt to distance himself from the current Government by removing Rachel Reeves from her post. While Reeves' allies have insisted on keeping her as Chancellor to reassure markets during the transition, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and former Health Secretary Wes Streeting are said to be among the contenders to replace her.
Transition Timeline and Cabinet Appointments
Burnham is understood to be looking for a transition of about a month, giving Starmer time to get his Defence Investment Plan (DIP) over the line for the upcoming NATO summit and sign his planned EU co-operation deal at the second annual reset summit with the EU in July. However, Burnham's camp would accept a timetable that sees Starmer in No 10 until September.
The outgoing Manchester Mayor's planned Cabinet appointments have yet to be confirmed. Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, warned Burnham against replacing Reeves with Miliband on Sunday. Graham said the energy secretary "only seems to be interested in one side of the equation - rushing Britain to net zero with almost no thought for jobs, skills and national security."
Poll and Debate
Express.co.uk readers are invited to vote in the poll and join the debate in the comments section on whether Burnham should sack Reeves if he becomes PM.
