Leadership transition talks begin as Labour prepares for potential handover
Updated ,first published
London: Major decisions at the top of the British government have been frozen after leadership rival Andy Burnham met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer to negotiate the transfer of power before any formal contest is held to decide who will hold top office.
The decision has added to the sense of turmoil in the government as Starmer is expected to finalize a major defense spending plan, following a cabinet split two weeks ago after ministers could not agree on whether to allocate more funding to national security.
Labor officials will not announce a leadership bid to replace Starmer in the coming weeks or months until July 9, but Burnham remains the only candidate for the top job and appears to be at loggerheads with the prime minister over key policies.
Burnham is widely portrayed in the British media as the country’s next leader, although she has not formally nominated a candidate, set the national government agenda, or made any significant public statements about her plans.
The rival’s only public statements since Starmer announced his departure plan on Monday morning (6.30pm AEST) were some brief remarks to journalists and an oath of allegiance to the King at his swearing-in ceremony in the House of Commons on Monday.
Starmer called a cabinet meeting on Tuesday in a bid to resume business as normal despite extraordinary leadership moves that mean Britain will have its seventh prime minister in a decade.
UK Reform Leader Nigel Farage, who has gained ground in the polls with promises to cut welfare and stop immigration, has demanded an election but appeared unlikely to push the issue with only a handful of MPs in the House of Commons.
Farage also faced pressure of his own on Tuesday when he clashed with reporters at the BBC and ITV over questions about the £5 million ($9.5 million) gift he received from Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne two years ago.
Farage did not answer the BBC’s question about what the money was used for and whether it was spent on security.
“This is literally none of your business,” he told the BBC.
Farage and his party have stronger support than Labor or the Conservative Party; In a YouGov poll this month, 24 per cent of voters were in favor of Reform.
Pressure from the right-wing party led to huge losses for Labor and the Conservatives in May’s council elections and increased pressure on Starmer because many of his own MPs thought Burnham would be better at taking on the right.
Burnham made headlines as a potential prime minister last year as allies briefed the British press on her abilities, but she has not been a cabinet minister in a national government since 2010.
He stopped being mayor of Greater Manchester after being elected to the seat of Makerfield last Thursday, handing it back to Westminster so he could get the numbers to replace Starmer.
Starmer and Burnham met on Tuesday for the first time since last week’s special election. Neither side has released details of the issues discussed. Burnham was also meeting with Labor MPs to prepare to nominate a candidate for the leadership.
Nominations for the Labor Party leadership will open on July 9 and close a week later. If Burnham becomes the sole candidate, she could become prime minister by July 17. If there is a competition, the winner must be ready by the time Parliament returns from its summer recess on September 1.
Starmer said at the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that he would try to make the transition to his successor as easy as possible. His office has told ministers he wants an “orderly transition” and wants whoever replaces him to be successful.
The European Union said that the important UK-EU summit planned for July 22 will be postponed due to uncertainty in the UK.
The British government is expected to publish its long-awaited defense investment plan – which led to the resignation of Defense Secretary John Healey on 11 June – ahead of the NATO summit in Türkiye on 7 and 8 July, which Starmer is likely to attend.
Burnham was a popular mayor of Greater Manchester and oversaw a period of rapid regeneration of the city in northern England, the site of the Industrial Revolution. He has vowed to replicate his signature brand of “Manchesterism” on a national scale.
Many Labor members hope Burnham’s people skills and charisma can connect with the public more than the callous, managerial Starmer could.
But Burnham’s policies in many areas are unknown and untested. Some Labor MPs would like to see a party election contest where he would be publicly debated and scrutinised.
Burnham is expected to give a speech next week outlining some of his economic plans.
Former Armed Forces Secretary Al Carns, who resigned this month to protest what he saw as inadequate defense spending, said “we need a clear and concise discussion about what this country wants to be.”
He suggested he might run for the leadership but told broadcaster ITV: “I’m not prepared to make a decision on that in any way, shape or form.”
Others have suggested that Darren Jones, a senior Cabinet minister and Starmer ally, should run, but he has not yet commented.
Potential candidates need the support of at least 81 Labor MPs, a fifth of the parliamentary party, to launch a formal leadership contest that will be overseen by Labor officials and require votes from thousands of party members.
Starmer, who insisted for weeks he would fight to keep his job, acknowledged on Monday there was increasing pressure on him to hand over to a new leader.
While Starmer led Labor to a landslide election victory in July 2024, his and the party’s popularity has fallen since then.
David Crowe is the European correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect with: X or email.
