Sky News halted its regular broadcast on Wednesday to cover Prime Minister's Questions for the first time since Keir Starmer announced his resignation as Labour leader. The outgoing prime minister faced heckling from a Conservative MP over Andy Burnham, who remains the frontrunner to succeed him.
Starmer's Resignation and PMQs
On Monday, Starmer confirmed he would remain in post until his successor is chosen. During PMQs, he began, "This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues," when a heckler from the Conservative benches shouted, "With Andy?" Starmer replied, "Not today!" sparking further jibes aimed at Burnham.
Viewers reacted to the awkward moment. One person tweeted, "Such a humiliation for Starmer." Another commented, "Nobody has any idea what Andy Burnham stands for, but are happy for him to be PM. This makes no sense." A third wrote, "Classic PMQs drama. The hecklers always seem to know exactly which nerve to tick." Another remarked, "Not today indeed, Burnham stays on the bench."
Burnham's Path to Number 10
The new Makerfield MP met with Starmer on Tuesday for the first time since his by-election victory and is set to receive briefings from civil servants on taking over as prime minister. However, the route to Number 10 remains debated, with some Labour MPs calling for a contest and others hoping for an "orderly transition."
According to the Financial Times, Burnham could move parts of his prime ministerial operation to Manchester to address regional inequality and decentralize power from Westminster, establishing a "number 10 in the north."
