Here's a summary of today's events
Labour’s ruling body, the national executive committee, has given the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham permission to stand in the candidate selection process for the upcoming Makerfield byelection.
Former health secretary Wes Streeting has voiced his support for Andy Burnham to compete in the Makerfield byelection, describing him as one of Labour’s “best players on the pitch”.
Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has backed Andy Burnham’s efforts to return to parliament, saying there will be no attempt to stop the Greater Manchester mayor from fighting in Makerfield.
The Greens are going to campaign for the upcoming Makerfield byelection, complicating Andy Burnham’s potential route back to parliament against what is expected to be a strong Reform UK challenge.
Meanwhile, the former Green leader Caroline Lucas has suggested the party should not campaign, as she shows her support for Andy Burnham.
A powerful parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing files relating to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador has revealed that the government is withholding his vetting file despite not having the authority to do so.
The pound was heading for its worst week in 18 months on Friday as City traders anticipated that the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, could face a challenge from the Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, later this year.
Nigel Farage bought a £1.4 million property using money he received for taking part in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Reform UK has said.
Donald Trump has given his two cents on whether Keir Starmer can survive as prime minister, saying “he’s a nice man actually,” but “it’s a tough thing”.
Eleven foreign far-right activists have been banned from coming to the UK ahead of tomorrow’s march by supporters of Tommy Robinson, as the prime minister said there was a “fight for the soul of the country”.
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NEC gives Burnham permission to stand in candidate selection process for Makerfield byelection
Labour’s ruling body, the national executive committee, has given the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham permission to stand in the candidate selection process for the upcoming Makerfield byelection, a party spokesman said.
The mayor still has two more years of his term, meaning that if he stands there will need to be a mayoral byelection. Under Labour rules, sitting mayors need NEC approval to stand for Westminster. He would also need to be formally selected.
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Nigel Farage paid for £1.4m property with I’m A Celebrity money, Reform UK says
Nigel Farage bought a £1.4 million property using money he received for taking part in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Reform UK has said.
Reports on Thursday said that the party leader had paid for the house in 2024, shortly after receiving a £5 million personal gift from billionaire donor Christopher Harborne.
Farage has insisted there is no connection between the gift from Thailand-based crypto-investor Mr Harborne, who has donated millions to Reform UK, and the property purchase.
The party said on Friday that the house was paid for using funds received for participating in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity reality series, which he did in November 2023.
Reports suggested he was given a fee of £1.5 million for the show, in which he finished third.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “The relevant chronology is straightforward. The offer and purchase process for the property commenced before the gift.
“Mr Farage had already passed proof of funds and the relevant checks before receiving the gift. The purchase was therefore already proceeding independently of it.”
Reform MP asks Tories to stand aside in Makerfield byelection
The Conservatives should stand aside in the Makerfield byelection if they are “serious about stopping Labour’s chaos and decline”, a Reform MP has said.
Andrew Rosindell said his party should be given “a clear run” in the contest as the British public were crying out for a patriotic alternative to Labour socialism.
The MP for Romford defected from the Tories to Reform UK in January.
“If the Conservatives are serious about stopping Labour’s chaos and decline, they should stand aside in this by-election and give a clear run against Andy Burnham.
Burnham may think that his coronation is imminent, but before that, the voters will decide whether they want more Labour failure or a party that puts Britain first,” Rosindell wrote in a post on X.
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Ministers have no authority to withhold Mandelson vetting file, committee says
A powerful parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing files relating to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador has revealed that the government is withholding his vetting file despite not having the authority to do so.
In an extraordinary intervention, the intelligence and security committee (ISC) has criticised the government over its handling of the release of Mandelson-related papers and in effect accused ministers failing to comply with parliament’s will.
The government has repeatedly said it will comply with the motion, which ordered that any documents that could be prejudicial to national security or international relations should first be reviewed by the ISC.
Starmer’s government is now expected to face intense pressure to explain why it has chosen to withhold the vetting file.
The prime minister’s decision to appoint Mandelson as ambassador to the US in December 2024 has cast a shadow over his premiership and led to calls for his resignation prior to Labour’s poor showing in the local elections.
Sir John Curtice, the BBC’s lead election analyst, has said Andy Burnham faces a “very formidable challenge” to win the seat in the Makerfield byelection.
While Makerfield could be an opportunity for Reform to win another seat, Curtice adds that Burnham’s win could demonstrate his ability to turn things round for Labour.
The Conservatives have suspended the party’s leader at Worcestershire county council after he made a deal with the Greens and Liberal Democrats to oust Reform.
At a full council meeting to elect a new leader on Thursday, Reform UK lost minority control of the authority after the Conservatives teamed up with the Green party, Lib Dems and independents to form an alliance. The Green councillor Matt Jenkins is now leading the council.
Adam Kent, the leader of the Tory group in Worcestershire, was suspended from the party after the meeting. The chair of the Conservative party, Kevin Hollinrake MP, said it did not approve of an arrangement with the Greens and its position was “clear from the start”.
Speaking to the BBC before his suspension, Kent said residents in Worcestershire had “suffered appallingly due to the instability of Reform” and “at some point, responsible councillors have to stop standing on the sidelines”.
“On national policy there are many areas where we continue to disagree with the Greens – however, local government is not Westminster,” he said.
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Summary of developments so far
If you’re just joining us, here’s a recap of what has happened so far:
Former health secretary Wes Streeting has backed Andy Burnham for the Makerfield byelection. If successful, the mayor of Greater Manchester is widely expected to challenge Keir Starmer for the party leadership. In a post on X, Streeting described Burnham as one of Labour’s “best players on the pitch” ahead of a “tough” byelection. (11:36)
Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has thrown her support behind Burnham’s efforts to return to parliament, saying that she had it on “good authority” there is going to be “absolutely no attempt” to stop him from running. The remarks were made while speaking at a Fire Brigades Union conference in Coventry. (11:17)
Ahead of tomorrow’s march by supporters of Tommy Robinson, 11 foreign far-right activists have been banned from coming to the UK. Tens of thousands are expected to attend the self-styled “Unite the Kingdom” march promoted by Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley Lennon. Downing Street said Starmer was taking action to “protect British communities from vile hate” amid bans on foreign activists including the US-based extremist Valentina Gomez. (11.31)
Joanne Thomas, the general secretary of Usdaw, said her union would back Burnham’s Westminster bid. She said: “Usdaw’s NEC representatives have decided they will vote for the Greater Manchester mayor to be allowed to seek selection as a parliamentary candidate.” (12:18)
Donald Trump has also weighed in on Starmer’s survival as prime minister. Among other rambling thoughts, he said the prime minister was in trouble because of “energy and immigration”. When asked again if Starmer could survive as prime minister, Trump said it was a “tough thing”. (12.42)
Other parties are also gearing up for the Makerfield byelection, with Nigel Farage saying Reform will “throw absolutely everything” at the contest. In the 2024 general election, Labour MP Josh Simons won the seat by a slim majority of 5,399, with Robert Kenyon taking 12,803 votes for Reform. (10:59)
Meanwhile, the Greens have said they are “looking forward to the campaign” in Makerfield as they plan to “beat Reform”. (13:00)
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Former Greens leader says party should not contest Makerfield byelection
The former Green leader Caroline Lucas has suggested the party should not campaign for the upcoming Makerfield byelection, as she shows her support for Andy Burnham.
Tweeting the Guardian’s story on the Green party’s plans to contest the seat, Lucas wrote:
I hope this isn’t true. There are times when it’s more important to put country before party. This is one of them. Burnham’s longstanding commitment to a fairer voting system could transform our democracy and counter dire threat of a Reform UK government.
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The pound was heading for its worst week in 18 months on Friday as City traders anticipated that the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, could face a challenge from the Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, later this year.
After days of uncertainty over Starmer’s future, sterling dropped by almost three cents, or 2%, during the week to $1.336 on Friday, a five-week low. That would be the largest weekly drop against the US dollar since Donald Trump’s election win in early November 2024.
The pound fell against the dollar every day this week as leadership tensions gripped Westminster, culminating in the prospect of Burnham challenging Starmer for the role of PM after the Greater Manchester mayor announced he would run for parliament in the north-west constituency of Makerfield.
“The pound is weakening this morning after a sharp drop on Thursday, when Andy Burnham threw his hat into the ring,” said Kathleen Brooks, the research director at XTB.
“This is a sign that Burnham is the least market-friendly of all the candidates, as Wes Streeting’s resignation did not have the same negative effect.”
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In other news today, parliament’s intelligence watchdog has criticised the government for redacting documents “far too broadly” in response to MPs’ demands for details on Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador.
PA reports that the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said today that it had made its final decisions on redactions in 337 documents connected to the appointment on national security grounds.
However, in a statement, the ISC raised “concerns” about wider redactions. This includes individuals’ personal data, email addresses and the identities of junior civil servants.
The ISC also suggested redactions on non-security grounds were “being applied far too broadly”, and accused the government of withholding documents despite not having “the authority to do so”.
The committee said it did not think the motion passed by the Commons demanding documents related to the appointment allowed redactions “other than on grounds of prejudice to UK national security and international relations”.
In particular, the committee said the government had withheld a vetting file compiled by UK Security Vetting (UKSV). In April, it was revealed that UKSV had recommended against granting Mandelson the developed vetting necessary for his appointment, but the Foreign Office had given him clearance despite that advice.
Back Tories to prevent ‘SNP patsy’ winning Aberdeen byelection, says Findlay
Meanwhile in Scotland, a byelection will soon be triggered following the resignation of former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who now sits in Holyrood.
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay has urged voters to back his party in a Westminster byelection to prevent an “SNP patsy” winning.
Findlay visited Aberdeen on Friday, just 24 hours after former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn resigned his Aberdeen South seat following his election to Holyrood.
The Scottish Tories are confident of a win and are understood to be prepared to throw substantial resources at the race, with MSP Douglas Lumsden seeking the party’s nomination.
Speaking after a visit to AJT Engineering in the city, Findlay said: “I’m here today because we want to win this byelection.
“It’s a straight fight between the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives.
“If you want a pro-oil and gas MP representing this area in the House of Commons, or if you want an SNP patsy who won’t speak up for the industry – that’s the clear choice.”
The Tories will look to turn the byelection into a referendum on oil and gas, with Findlay and UK leader Kemi Badenoch seeking to champion the sector which provides thousands of jobs in the north east of Scotland.
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Labour pressure group urges party to allow Burnham to run in Makerfield
Labour pressure group Mainstream have urged the party to allow Andy Burnham to seek selection as its candidate in Makerfield.
The group describe themselves as “radical realists” and in opposition to the “populist right” said the decision would be the best way of showing Labour were putting “country before party”.
The group’s interim council said in a statement: “Uniting behind the strongest possible candidate and running a positive, hopeful campaign with an offer of transformative change at its heart is how Labour will earn the kind permission to continue representing the people of Makerfield in parliament.
“That is why we hope Labour’s National Executive Committee will ensure Makerfield CLP is free to choose from the widest possible field of candidates in this by-election, a field that should clearly include Andy Burnham.
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Greens suggest they will properly contest byelection in blow to Burnham
The Greens are going to campaign for the upcoming Makerfield byelection, complicating Andy Burnham’s potential route back to parliament against what is expected to be a strong Reform UK challenge.
A statement from the Greens said candidate selection was in process and that the party had learned from its win in another Greater Manchester seat in February, when they overcame a 13,000 Labour majority in Gorton and Denton.
Labour has a smaller majority of just over 5,000 in Makerfield, where Reform came second in the 2024 election. The sitting MP, Josh Simons, announced on Thursday that he would stand down, saying he wanted Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, to replace him.
A Green spokesperson said: “We are looking forward to the campaign. We’ve learned from our campaigning and wins in Gorton and Denton and the recent local elections, and we’ve shown we can beat Reform.”
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Andy Burnham has emerged, looking in good spirits as he’s pictured on his morning run in Warrington, Cheshire.
'It's a tough thing,' says Trump on Starmer's survival as prime minister
Donald Trump has given his two cents on whether Keir Starmer can survive as prime minister.
He said Starmer was in trouble because of “energy and immigration”.
Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One following his trip to China, the US president said: “He’s very bad on energy. He should open up the North Sea. He’s got a goldmine and he should open up oil in the North Sea. And he doesn’t. They have a tremendous value.”
When asked again whether Starmer could survive as prime minister, Trump said “it’s a tough thing” and reverted back to speaking about the North Sea and windmills.
“Unless he can straighten out immigration, where he’s weak, and if he doesn’t start drilling, stop with the windmills all over the place that are causing havoc … most expensive form of energy. They kill the birds. They’re unsightly. They’re ruining the landscape. If he doesn’t stop with the windmills … he’s got to open up the North Sea,” he said.
Trump declined to answer when asked whether Starmer should quit, saying: “I think he’s a nice man actually.”
But he did criticise Starmer again for refusing to join the US and Israel in striking Iran, claiming the war was now “sort of finished militarily … probably 70-75%”.
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Joanne Thomas, the general secretary of Usdaw, said her union would back Andy Burnham’s Westminster bid.
Thomas, who also chairs the Tulo group of Labour-affiliated trade unions, said:
There is a consensus building that it would be wrong for members in Makerfield to not have the opportunity to select Andy Burnham as their candidate for the Makerfield byelection.
Therefore, Usdaw’s NEC representatives have decided they will vote for the Greater Manchester mayor to be allowed to seek selection as a parliamentary candidate.
Usdaw has two representatives on Labour’s national executive committee (NEC), including one who sat on the officers committee that blocked Burnham from contesting the Gorton and Denton byelection in February, according to PA.
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Labour’s NEC officer committee, which will make the decision on whether Andy Burnham can stand in the Makerfield byelection, will meet this weekend, according to Sky News.
There were reports suggesting the 10-person officers’ group could meet today, but Sky News has reported it is likely to happen over the weekend, although it is unclear exactly when.
Labour’s ruling national executive committee will hold its next full meeting on Tuesday.
Earlier, Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, said she had it on good authority that there will be “absolutely no attempt to stop” Burnham from standing.
The Press Association has reported that a byelection in Makerfield could cost the taxpayer up to £226,000, the most the area’s returning officer can claim from the Treasury to cover the cost of running the poll.
The cost of a mayoral byelection in Greater Manchester would run into the millions, with the 2024 mayoral election costing the taxpayer £4.7m.
Streeting throws his support behind Burnham for Makerfield byelection
Former health secretary Wes Streeting has voiced his support for Andy Burnham to compete in the Makerfield byelection, describing him as one of Labour’s “best players on the pitch”.
In a post on X, Streeting, a potential Labour leadership challenger, said:
We need our best players on the pitch. There is no doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them.
The Makerfield byelection will be tough. Votes will need to be earned.
Andy is the best chance of winning and that should override factional advantage or propping up one person.
If successful, Burnham is widely expected to challenge Keir Starmer for the party leadership.
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11 foreign far-right activists banned from entering UK for Tommy Robinson rally
Eleven foreign far-right activists have been banned from coming to the UK ahead of tomorrow’s march by supporters of Tommy Robinson, as the prime minister said there was a “fight for the soul of the country”.
Downing Street said Keir Starmer was taking action to “protect British communities from vile hate” amid bans on foreign activists including the US-based extremist Valentina Gomez.
Tens of thousands are expected to attend the self-styled “Unite the Kingdom” march promoted by Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley Lennon.
Visiting the Metropolitan police’s command and control special operations room today, Starmer said:
We’re in a fight for the soul of this country, and the Unite the Kingdom march this weekend is a stark reminder of exactly what we are up against. Its organisers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple.
We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence. For anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can expect to face the full force of the law.
My government will always champion peaceful protest but will act decisively against hatred. We all have a responsibility to speak out against those spouting vile divisive views wherever we see it.
We are a country built on decency, fairness and respect, at our best when people from different backgrounds come together in common purpose. That is what we must fight for.
Starmer met police chiefs earlier this morning. Downing Street said that he “made clear he recognises that the majority expected to attend are law-abiding citizens, who want to protest peacefully, and urged everyone attending a protest to act with decency and respect”.
Tomorrow is expected to be one of the busiest days of the year when it comes to policing in London. Many are expected to attend a pro-Palestine protest, while there will also be a presence by anti-fascist protesters organised by Stand Up to Racism.
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Keir Starmer spent the morning visiting a south London police station, where he met London mayor Sadiq Khan and Metropolitan police commissioner Mark Rowley ahead of major protests taking place in the capital tomorrow.
Powell backs Burnham's return to parliament
Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has backed Andy Burnham’s efforts to return to parliament, saying there will be no attempt to stop the Greater Manchester mayor from fighting an upcoming byelection in Makerfield.
Speaking at a Fire Brigades Union conference in Coventry, she said
We could have further to fall as a party and we absolutely need to come back together as one team, because we’ve got to take the fight to [Nigel] Farage. We are at real risk of Nigel Farage walking up Downing Street in a few years time, and we can’t let that happen.
But we’ve got to do our politics differently. We’ve got to end the factionalism. We’ve got to embrace all the different traditions of the Labour party, all the different voices, and bring one team back together.
And that means having Andy Burnham as a key player in that team, in my view. He has now expressed … his view, his desire to come back to parliament … I supported Andy last time he wanted to come back to parliament, and I fully support him wanting to come back to parliament again.
She added that she had it “on good authority” that there is “going to be absolutely no attempt to stop” Burnham from standing, which was met with applause from the audience.
Goodwin rules himself out of Makerfield byelection
Matt Goodwin, the Reform candidate who came second to the Greens in Manchester’s Gorton and Denton byelection, has ruled himself out of running in the upcoming Makerfield byelection.
Goodwin told the Guardian that he looked forward to supporting a “local Reform candidate” in the contest which emerged as Manchester mayor Andy Burnham’s best hope of returning to the House of Commons.
Nigel Farage has said that Reform will “throw absolutely everything at” the contest, which has opened up after the Labour MP Josh Simons stood down on Thursday to allow Burnham to try to challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.
Simons had a majority of 5,399 in the 2024 general election, with Robert Kenyon taking 12,803 votes for Reform.
Kenyon, who was elected to Wigan Council earlier this month, could stand again and has particularly strong credentials. A plumber, like the Green party’s victorious Hannah Spencer in Gorton and Denton, he has also served in the British army, worked for six years in the NHS and grew up in a staunchly Labour family.
Goodwin said: “I look forward to supporting a local Reform candidate and doing whatever I can to bring Andy Burnham back down to earth and inflict another defeat on this rotten Labour government in their own backyard. Vote Reform.”
In today’s episode of Today in Focus, Guardian columnist Rafael Behr talks through a frantic day that started with Wes Streeting’s resignation as health secretary and ended with the very real possibility of his rival – Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham – returning to parliament.
But what, asks Nosheen Iqbal, do the runners and riders actually stand for? And is there any evidence they could take Labour out of the mess it’s in now?
You can listen to the episode here:
In other news, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper is heading to China in early June, according to Reuters, citing three sources.
The trip to Beijing is reportedly scheduled for 2 and 3 June, where she is expected to holds talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Her trip will also see her in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen for meetings with businesses, Reuters reported.
The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
Keir Starmer and Chinese president Xi Jinping announced a reset in UK-China relations in January, pledging greater cooperation on trade, investment and technology after the government approved of plans for Beijing to build its largest embassy in Europe in London.
Luke Akehurst, Labour MP for North Durham and a member of the national executive committee (NEC), said he expected Andy Burnham to be granted a waiver to stand in the Makerfield byelection.
“I don’t want to pre-judge [the NEC’s] decision, but everything I’m hearing suggests they’re going to give him a waiver to allow him to stand even though he’s a metro mayor,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“My sense is things have moved on from the previous byelection in Gorton and Denton and that the obstacles to [Burnham] running are not there if the local party members want to pick him.”
Burnham was prevented by Keir Starmer from running in the Gorton and Denton byelection earlier this year, to the anger of his backers in the party.
UK borrowing costs rise and sterling falls as traders brace for Burnham
UK government borrowing costs have jumped at the start of trading, and the pound has fallen, as City traders respond to the news that Andy Burnham now has a chance to become Labour’s next leader.
UK bond prices have dropped at the start of trading, which pushes up the yield (or interest rate) on these gilts, while the pound has dropped against the US dollar.
Yesterday, UK bond yields hit their lowest level since Monday after Wes Streeting failed to launch a leadership challenge as he quit the cabinet.
This morning, the yield on UK 10-year bond is up 11 basis points (0.11 of a percentage point) to 5.11%, suggesting concerns that the UK could aim to borrow more under a new prime minister.
Thirty-year bond yields are up 11 bps too to 5.76% – not far from the 28-year high of 5.81% hit on Tuesday.
Other government bond yields (such as the US and Japan) are rising too this morning, but UK borrowing costs are moving somewhat more sharply.
The pound has hit its lowest level in five weeks, down more than half a cent at one point to $1.333.
For more updates and other financial news, follow our business live blog here:
What would potential Labour leadership candidates do differently to Starmer?
Wes Streeting’s resignation as health secretary, and the resignation of former minister Josh Simons as an MP to clear a path for Andy Burnham to return to parliament, has brought the prospect of a Labour leadership race one step closer, even if he has not triggered a contest himself.
Almost every critic of Keir Starmer has accused the prime minister of not being sufficiently “bold” in his policy choices. But what would his possible replacements actually do differently? In this explainer, the Guardian’s policy editor Kiran Stacey looks at the stances on key issues of Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner and Ed Miliband:
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The new health secretary, James Murray, was pictured in Downing Street this morning on his first full day in the role.
He was appointed last night after Wes Streeting stepped down from the position, saying it would have been “dishonourable” to remain in post after he had lost confidence in prime minister Keir Starmer.
Outgoing Labour MP spoke to Burnham's team about Makerfield 'earlier this week'
Labour MP Josh Simons, who stood down from his seat in Makerfield to pave the way for Andy Burnham’s return, said his decision was one of the “most difficult” he’s made, but that he’s “absolutely” confident the Greater Manchester mayor can win a byelection.
He told the BBC he spoke to Burnham’s team “for the first time seriously about this earlier this week”, adding: “It’s all been incredibly fast.”
The outgoing MP, whose wife recently had their third child, said he will spend more time with his family and help Burnham with his campaign.
To find out more about Simons, who has only been an MP for two years, the Guardian’s Whitehall editor Rowena Mason has put together a profile here:
Starmer 'unpopular' but Labour must stop 'internal-facing nonsense', says minister
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics.
Housing secretary Steve Reed, a close ally of Keir Starmer, has been on the media round this morning urging Labour colleagues to put the “country first, party second”, even as he admits the prime minister is “unpopular”.
When asked by Sky News whether replacing an unpopular prime minister is something the party should consider, he said: “Each of the last four prime ministers, in turn, has been the most unpopular prime minister we’ve ever had.”
He added: “What we need to do is all of us come together behind the prime minister and focus on how we can deliver the change the British public want to see faster.”
A leadership challenge seems all but inevitable, with Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham potentially throwing his hat in the ring, but Reed rather bluntly stated “there is no leadership challenge” and hit out at the “internal-facing nonsense” plaguing the party.
He told the BBC: “If people wanted to gather the nominations then it’s open for them to do that – they would need to find enough Labour MPs that wanted to endorse them but nobody has done that.
“It’s been a very difficult week but we need to take a breath now, take this weekend to reflect on what’s going on, and come back next week and focus on the country we were elected to serve.”
Commenting on reports suggesting Starmer was considering his position last night, Reed told Times Radio “that isn’t true”, adding: “The Labour party will not copy the chaos we saw under the Conservatives.”
Labour MP Josh Simons announced yesterday that he would stand down from his constituency in Makerfield to make way for Burnham to stand as a candidate in a byelection.
Simons said he believed Burnham could “drive the change our country is crying out for”.
“We have lost the trust of those our party was built to serve. It is my unwavering belief that nothing short of urgent, radical, courageous reform will make a difference,” he told BBC Radio Manchester this morning.
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