ANDY BURNHAM'S top pick for chancellor has been unveiled, after reports suggested one of the most likely candidates for the role has been "blocked".
Several media outlets report that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is now the frontrunner to succeed Rachel Reeves.
Three senior Burnham allies told The Times that they believe they have succeeded in preventing Ed Miliband from taking the job.
Sources expressed concerns that Miliband, who is currently Energy Secretary, would become a "lightning rod for criticism of the government".
The Financial Times has also reported that Miliband is no longer in the running for the role, with Mahmood instead said to be the favourite.
Burnham's team has insisted that no final decision has been taken as to who will fill the chancellor role when the PM-in-waiting enters Downing Street next week.
Decisions around Burnham's Cabinet have been kept largely under wraps, with reports suggesting not even those who are tipped to be appointed are aware of their fate.
Meanwhile, the i Paper reports that Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper could be in the running for Reeves's post.
The reports come as Keir Starmer prepares to face his final Cabinet meeting and Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.
The outgoing leader will hold farewell talks with his senior ministers in Downing Street before taking his last Commons grilling at the despatch box at noon.
Meanwhile, Burnham is edging closer to Number 10 as nominations for the Labour leadership formally close on Wednesday.
As of 5pm on Tuesday, Burnham has received 369 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) group.
Only one other candidate has been nominated, seemingly as a joke – Catherine West, who threatened to co-ordinate a campaign to oust Starmer before eventually backing down.
West was nominated by Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP Neil Coyle, who reportedly gave as his reason: "She wanted a contest."
