Sky News was interrupted on Wednesday evening for a breaking alert concerning the Labour leadership contest, as former armed forces minister Al Carns confirmed he will not run and threw his support behind Andy Burnham.
Al Carns Withdraws, Backs Burnham
Speaking on The Cathy Newman Show, Carns declared: "As the boat has moved forward, it's been really clear to me, having a three month competition now is probably not the best use of Labour's time." He emphasised the division a prolonged contest would cause within the party and urged Labour members to "get on board" with Burnham becoming the next prime minister.
Burnham Expected to Enter Number 10 Unopposed
Nominations for the Labour leadership open on Thursday, July 8, and close on July 15. It is widely believed that Andy Burnham will enter Number 10 without facing a challenger. Carns praised Burnham's record: "Andy's done a good job in Manchester, he did a great job during Covid. He's seen the Manchester Arena attack and dealt with that very effectively."
Economic Optimism and Party Unity
Carns noted the positive economic trajectory in Manchester and suggested that if Burnham can replicate that success nationally, he will be heading in the right direction. He added: "I think we've all got to get on the boat and row in the same direction if we're going to make the next two to three years count."
When pressed by presenter Cathy Newman on whether he was definitively backing Burnham, Carns acknowledged he had abandoned his "nascent" leadership bid, which he insisted was always about fostering debate. Asked if he lacked sufficient support, Carns replied: "Have I been phoning people up and trying to get them onto the Al Carns ticket, absolutely not. I've had over 100 MPs come to me and say, 'We need to have this debate. We need to talk about the vision for the country.'"
