Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has declared her support for Andy Burnham to become the next prime minister, amid speculation that she could be replaced as chancellor if he takes office. Speaking to the BBC, Reeves declined to comment on reports that she might accept another role under a Burnham premiership.
“I’m not going to pre-empt the decisions that the new prime minister will make,” she said. “I’m backing Andy. I think he’d be a great prime minister, but those are his decisions, not mine to make.”
Burnham's Cabinet Choices Under Scrutiny
Burnham, the MP for Makerfield and frontrunner to succeed Sir Keir Starmer, has yet to settle on his choice of chancellor, according to reports. Speculation has focused on Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, but some within Labour have cautioned against his appointment. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones appeared to suggest Miliband would not meet his “tests” for a new chancellor, stating that any appointee should not seek to “control” the prime minister and must “reassure” markets, trade unions, MPs, and the public.
Reeves emphasised her loyalty to Starmer, saying, “No one could doubt my commitment to him in recent years. I’ve been by his side for six years now as shadow chancellor and then as Chancellor of the Exchequer.” She added that whoever becomes prime minister and chancellor will inherit a stronger economy than the one she inherited two years ago.
Reeves Urges Successor to Stick to Her Economic Plans
Speaking at the British Chambers of Commerce’s annual global conference on Thursday, Reeves urged her successor to maintain her economic policies. “I hope that whoever is Chancellor in the future, whenever that future may be, sticks to what I’m doing because it is beginning to bear fruit,” she said, citing returning investment, growth, and stability that allows businesses to plan and invest.
Meanwhile, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak called on the next prime minister not to “water down” their agenda under pressure from “vested interests.” He told Sky News, “We’re very clear, you can’t keep those vested interests happy. Show you’re on the side of working people, their families and communities, and deliver the change the country needs.” However, Nowak declined to comment on whether Miliband should be chancellor, saying he would not “play fantasy football with cabinet positions.”
Leadership Contest Dynamics
Few potential challengers to Burnham have emerged as the contest picks up pace. Jones, rumoured as a potential challenger backed by Starmer’s supporters, ruled himself out on Wednesday and endorsed Burnham. Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, he referenced his future, saying he was “starting to prepare for a quieter life” but hoped to return to the despatch box “in due course.”
Former armed forces minister Al Carns, who resigned earlier this month over defence spending, remains a possible contender, calling for a “proper debate” on the country’s future. While he has not formally announced a leadership bid, he has refused to rule himself out in recent interviews.
International Attention and Local Race
Burnham’s potential premiership has attracted international attention. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump described the Makerfield MP as “extremely liberal” and claimed he “probably won’t open up the North Sea” for oil exploration, adding that “the UK is dying.” Burnham has been critical of Trump in the past, describing US politics as “polarised” and “poisonous” during his campaign trail in June, and in 2021 he posted on X that any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day “should be ashamed.”
As the race to replace Burnham as Mayor of Greater Manchester gears up, the Liberal Democrats have announced Richard Kilpatrick as their candidate. Kilpatrick, a Manchester city councillor, said it was “a real opportunity to champion the issues that matter most to people, from making transport more affordable, investing in social care and restoring neighbourhood policing to truly make people in our community feel safe.”
