Allies of Andy Burnham have warned against a rapid “coronation” of Wes Streeting as the next prime minister and called on Labour’s ruling body to ensure the Greater Manchester mayor is not blocked from standing for the leadership.
As Keir Starmer faced mounting calls for his resignation on Tuesday, sources close to Burnham demanded immediate assurances from Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) that he would be allowed to contest a parliamentary byelection. However, hopes of a swift return to Westminster were dealt a blow when Marie Rimmer, the MP for St Helens South and Whiston, said she would not stand down and backed Starmer to remain in office.
Rimmer, who has been an MP since 2015, said she had not spoken to Burnham “in years” and rejected suggestions they had been in recent contact. She described the speculation that she might give up her seat as “annoying”, and said she did not believe Starmer should resign. “It’s chaos. We will end up looking like the Tories,” she said.
More than 80 Labour MPs have called on Starmer to quit after poor local and devolved election results, with many backing Burnham. Writing in the Guardian, Neal Lawson, director of Compass, said only the NEC’s officers’ group stood in Burnham’s way, and urged the party to issue a statement making clear he could fight any vacancy.
One close Burnham ally expressed frustration at what they saw as attempts to engineer a speedy succession. “We can’t afford a coronation from Keir to Wes or whatever – that’s not going to cut it with the country,” they said. NEC sources suggested the officers’ group could change its stance if Starmer’s authority came into question.
