Sir Keir Starmer pledged to campaign for Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election despite the expectation that the Greater Manchester Mayor will seek to topple him if he wins the seat.
After Labour’s disastrous May 7 local elections, the PM visited the party’s headquarters in central London on Monday to thank staff for all their hard work.
Sir Keir is vowing to fight any attempt to oust him but is not blocking a Commons comeback by Mr Burnham who is seeking to become the party’s candidate for the Makerfield by-election.
The PM and Labour leader stressed: “We now have an important by-election coming up.
“It is Labour versus Reform. We will know very shortly who the candidate is.
“Whoever they are I am going to support them one hundred per cent and I want every member, everyone in our movement to support them.”
In a sign of his determination to stay PM, he also highlighted recent upbeat economic figures, as well as falling NHS waiting lists, and new rights for workers and renters.
Sir Keir added: “I am focused on the job that I was asked to do, which is to serve my country and to carry out my duties as Prime Minister.”
Meanwhile, allies of Mr Burnham are furious with Wes Streeting after a battle over Brexit was reignited ahead of a crunch by-election.
Mr Streeting, who resigned as Health Secretary last week, signalled he wanted to see Britain return to the EU as he announced on Saturday he would stand in any Labour leadership contest.
Supporters of Mr Burnham are angry with Mr Streeting as they believe it is a deliberate attempt to raise the issue of Brexit in the Leave-voting constituency of Makerfield.
Mr Burnham sought to play down his own support for rejoining the trade bloc as he took part in a media blitz across the weekend.
He insisted there was a “long-term case” for advocating to join the EU, but insisted he was not campaigning on that issue in the by-election.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy rebuked her former colleague, Mr Streeting, for making Europe a centre-point of his campaign to succeed Sir Keir, describing it as “odd”.
“If rejoining the EU is the answer, then essentially what we’re saying to people is, ‘life was fine in 2015, we just need to go back there’,” added Ms Nandy, who is seen as an ally to the Greater Manchester Mayor.
Reform UK, which is the second placed party in Makerfield, plans to make hay out of Mr Burnham’s previous support for rejoining the EU as it knocks doors in the constituency.
Nigel Farage is reported to have branded the Greater Manchester Mayor “open borders Burnham”, indicating the Reform leader plans to campaign on the impact future EU membership could have on inward migration to the UK.
Sir Keir, who reportedly spent the weekend at his Chequers country estate, is said to be privately considering whether he will contest challenges to his leadership, despite having publicly insisted he will fight them.
Ms Nandy appeared to veer away from the Government line that Sir Keir would stand against his rivals as she spoke to broadcasters on Sunday morning, telling the BBC: “It’s a very personal decision for him.”
She later added: “So, I wouldn’t write off the Prime Minister, but I would just say that this is a very personal decision.
“He’s got to make that decision himself.”
Elsewhere ‘amid’ the turmoil at the heart of government:
* Chancellor Rachel Reeves was expected to shelve plans to hike fuel duty by 5p per litre, amid concerns about the impact of the Iran war on the cost of living.
* Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner turned down the position of Health Secretary after Mr Streeting left the post, The Times said.
