Housing Secretary Steve Reed has defended the Labour Party's internal transition of power, claiming the public does not want a general election. Speaking on Sky News' Sunday With Trevor Phillips, Reed stated that the "vast majority" of Labour MPs want Andy Burnham to become Prime Minister, replacing Sir Keir Starmer.
Reed's Defence of the Transition
Reed, a former ally of Sir Keir Starmer, said: "The vast majority of my colleagues, myself included, want Andy Burnham to take over as the new prime minister, and I expect that will happen in fairly short order." He emphasised that the transition should be "orderly," adding: "The public do not want a general election, and that's not just my instinct. You can look at the polls that tell us the vast majority do not. They want us to get on with the job."
Commitment to the 2024 Manifesto
Reed insisted that Burnham will stick to the 2024 manifesto, despite ongoing parliamentary discussions. He said: "Well, there are conversations going on in Parliament all the time, but we're elected on a manifesto and Andy is committed to that manifesto." He acknowledged that Burnham may want to change some areas, particularly devolution, which both have championed for over a decade.
Reed praised Burnham's tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester, calling him "one of Labour's big success stories." He noted that Burnham's performance in the Makerfield by-election reflected public approval of his changes.
Devolution-First Agenda
Burnham is expected to outline a "devolution-first" agenda on Monday, requiring government departments to assess which responsibilities and funding should be transferred to regional governments. Reed suggested there would be "changes of emphasis" but that "fundamentals" like fiscal rules would remain.
This is a breaking story. More to follow.
