Keir Starmer has indicated he would offer Andy Burnham a cabinet position if the Greater Manchester mayor returns to Westminster via the Makerfield byelection, describing him as a "huge asset" as he sought to dampen speculation over his leadership.
The prime minister, speaking at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, said he expected Burnham to "play a big part" in Labour's government. "He's been a very successful mayor. When I came into politics, his was the team that I joined, and we work very closely together," Starmer told reporters.
However, allies of Burnham indicated that he would not be interested in serving under Starmer, arguing that his byelection message was about representing change for Labour. Starmer also stressed the importance of the subsequent Greater Manchester mayoral byelection, calling it "one of the biggest byelections we've ever fought."
The comments come as Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, suggested he could trigger a leadership contest as early as next week. He said the prime minister should have the weekend to reflect, but warned that "uncertainty and paralysis" could not continue. Streeting insisted he has the backing of 81 Labour MPs required to force a contest.
Starmer said he did not think a challenge should happen, but if one came, he intended to fight. "I'm not going to walk away from that," he said. Burnham-supporting MPs reacted with bemusement to the cabinet offer, while Angela Rayner told the Daily Mirror that the Makerfield vote must be a "line in the sand," warning that time was running out for Labour.
