Sir Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham have held their first face-to-face talks since the former Greater Manchester Mayor's by-election victory last week. The hour-long discussion took place off-site on Monday, 23 June, following Sir Keir's resignation as Prime Minister earlier that day, according to The Times.
Transition of Power Underway
The outgoing Labour leader has pledged a "smooth transition" of power and authorised the Civil Service to begin access talks with "prospective candidates" for the Labour leadership. This means Andy Burnham will start receiving government briefings to prepare for taking over as Prime Minister.
At a weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, Sir Keir told ministers he wanted an "orderly transition" and would try to make the process "as easy as possible" for his successor. Downing Street confirmed that no "major" new policy decisions or spending pledges would be made in the coming weeks, and that Sir Keir would agree priorities with Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo in the coming days.
Defence Investment Plan Looms
One key outstanding issue is the defence investment plan (Dip), which has been delayed for months due to internal wrangling over funding. Sir Keir intends to publish the document before the NATO summit on July 7, but this could cause friction with Burnham's allies, who believe the decision should fall to the next leader.
An ally of former defence secretary John Healey, who quit over the Dip earlier this month, warned against publishing a "half-baked" plan before the new prime minister is installed. "We know this Dip settlement falls well short, and an incoming PM will still have to meet the same requirements," they said. "So clearly there is a strong argument against publishing a half-baked Dip now."
Government Business Continues
Asked whether Sir Keir was concerned about government work grinding to a halt during the transition, his official spokesman said the "normal business of Government continues." The former Greater Manchester mayor will begin to set out his policy platform next week, pledging economic growth and a commitment to Labour's existing fiscal rules in a speech.
Many see Burnham as a prime minister-in-waiting following his Makerfield by-election win. His main rival, former health secretary Wes Streeting, has backed him to succeed Sir Keir.
