One of Sir Keir Starmer’s most loyal Cabinet allies has vowed to back the “resilient” Labour leader in any challenge to his position after the Prime Minister told supporters he will stand if a contest is triggered.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said Sir Keir must be able to “serve out his mandate” from the 2024 general election.
The Prime Minister told supporters this weekend he would “fight” in any leadership race, in an apparent hardening of his position since rival Andy Burnham made his ambitions clear, as first reported by The Sun On Sunday.
Mr Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor and Labour’s Makerfield by-election candidate, confirmed during a BBC Question Time special in the constituency that he intends to enter any leadership race.
Asked whether he would support Sir Keir in such a contest, Mr Lammy told Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “Yes.
“I co-chaired Keir Starmer’s campaign to become leader of the Labour Party. He got a massive mandate from the British people less than two years ago.
“He is the most resilient person I have ever met in my life.”
The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Justice Secretary, added: “I think it’s important that he’s able to serve out his mandate,” but promised to continue campaigning for Mr Burnham in the Makerfield race.
Asked whether he will be telling the mayor to focus on his job and avoid a contest, Mr Lammy said: “Andy Burnham doesn’t need advice from me.
“We speak pretty regularly. He doesn’t need advice from me. I know him very well.”
Amid ongoing uncertainty about his future in No 10 following a disastrous set of local and devolved election results for Labour, Sir Keir warned against the distraction of “plunging into an internal fight” while global conflicts rage.
He told LBC on Friday: “We live in the most dangerous and volatile world in our lifetimes and that’s why I sincerely and profoundly believe that we should be getting on with the job that we were elected to do in 2024.”
The Makerfield by-election will take place on June 18.
