End of the Keir show: Starmer takes final PMQs as Andy Burnham is nominated successor by 92% of Labour MPs in Stalin-style landslide
Keir Starmer will take his final PMQs today as Andy Burnham frantically prepares to lead the country.
The outgoing prime minister sings his swan song in the weekly set after holding a final Cabinet meeting with his Downing Street appearance on Monday.
Despite being sacked just two years after winning a historic election victory, Sir Keir has been making a slew of announcements as he tries to create some sort of legacy.
Meanwhile, Mr Burnham is fielding even more candidates from ‘creeping’ Labor MPs as his coronation draws near. An extraordinary 369 MPs (92 per cent of the Parliamentary party) endorsed the former Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Despite nominating Mr Burnham, only one nomination was made for someone else, with the backbencher Neil Coyle recommending Catherine West as the lead.
“There was no room left to get into Andy Burnham’s backside,” he told Politico.
Keir Starmer will take his final PMQs today as Andy Burnham frantically prepares to lead the country
Mr Burnham is fielding even more candidates from ‘creeping’ Labor MPs as coronation draws near
Neil Coyle recommends Catherine West as leader – but ‘flattered’ MP says he nominates Mr Burnham
Despite Mr Burnham insisting no decisions have been made, the race for positions in his team continues to rage.
There is a briefing that Ed Miliband, one of his allies in the Prime Minister’s Office, is less likely to become Chancellor; MPs warn Net Zero Secretary would be too ‘risky’ and businesses fear his left-wing views.
Other names in key roles include Shabana Mahmood and Yvette Cooper.
Darren Jones, a key ally of Sir Keir, confirmed to LBC that he would ‘absolutely’ not remain in office next week, telling LBC he was ‘writing a handover memo’ and ‘tying up loose ends’.
He acknowledged that it was difficult to do anything during the transition period and added: ‘I haven’t been able to make new decisions in the last few weeks. ‘I’ve been able to respond to issues, whether they’re national security or operational issues, but I mainly spend my time making sure they’re taken care of.’
Mr. Burnham’s plans for nearly every policy area remain a mystery.
He gave another vague signal last night after making his first speech to the House of Commons since returning as an MP last month.
He told reporters: Cost of living is ‘the issue of our time’, once again referring to bus projects in Manchester.
‘If we want to bring politics to people in a better way, let’s deal with some of the pressures people are under in terms of their daily transport costs and the bills they pay. “I heard it on the doorstep so often during the campaign,” he said.
‘You know, life has changed for people and not necessarily for the better. And I think we need to focus on that relentlessly.’
Sir Keir, who has spent the last two days in France where he strangely received the Legion d’honneur award from Emmanuel Macron, is said to be sad but philosophical about the collapse of his political career.
The cabinet will present him with a driving watch this morning after Deputy Minister David Lammy organized a whipping. If England manage to beat Argentina tonight, they are likely to qualify for the World Cup final in the USA on Sunday.
“He didn’t want it to end this way but he’s doing the right thing for the country and the party,” a close ally told the Daily Mail.
‘He won’t be shouting from the sidelines.’
Last night the outgoing Prime Minister held a reception for campaigners whose causes he supported.
There’s a briefing that Ed Miliband, one of his allies in the Prime Minister’s Office, is less likely to become Chancellor
The Prime Minister said: ‘I am delighted to have fulfilled the promises I made to many people in this garden and I will make this last promise; ‘As long as there is breath in my body, I will stand with you and walk with you.’
In a sign of the closer relationship he is trying to forge with his European neighbors, he also attended Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on Tuesday with Emmanuel Macron, who awarded him the Legion d’honneur for his work with France on European security.
