Starmer on the brink: PM and Burnham ‘working towards’ handover in September

Keir Starmer is understood to be discussing a plan to hand over the Labor leadership to Andy Burnham in September; There is growing belief that he will announce his departure timeline early this week.

The former Manchester mayor is understood to want to wait to become prime minister until September, a delay which, according to a source, “will allow him to secure the prime minister’s legacy.”

The source said the prime minister is now “working” on the handover.

But the deal will depend on Mr Burnham also reaching an agreement with Wes Streeting, who has made clear he wants to run for the leadership.

And some Labor MPs fear the September handover will create further delays and uncertainty.

One backbencher said: “We will face another three months of an incapacitated government, on top of the five we have accumulated to this point. Labor does not understand the nature or realities of power.”

The statement came after technical secretary Peter Kyle confirmed Sir Keir was considering resigning as he spent the weekend “considering the political realities” of his situation.

The prime minister has been taking soundings from ministers, friends, allies and his wife Victoria at his country residence Checkers, amid reports that he plans to announce a timetable for his departure as early as Monday.

However, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is understood to have told the prime minister he should go this weekend, repeating her demands from last month.

It comes after mounting pressure for Andy Burnham to replace Sir Keir in his “coronation” after the former mayor of Greater Manchester crushed Reform UK in the Makerfield by-election on Thursday.

Sir Keir only broke his silence by publishing a message on Father’s Day at the weekend.

However, Mr Kyle confirmed he had a lengthy meeting with Sir Keir on Friday but refused to say what advice he had given him amid speculation he was one of the cabinet members who told him he needed to set a timetable for his departure.

But he confirmed the prime minister planned to leave, adding: “He is taking time to think about what the political realities are today compared to last week.”

Asked whether Sir Keir would resign on Monday, the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg said: “I can’t predict the future, I’m not his spokesman, I’m not with him today.”

Downing Street has already denied reports pointing to Sir Keir’s comments on Friday that he would enter the leadership contest.

Describing his meeting with Sir Keir, Mr Kyle said: “The Prime Minister was calm. He was thoughtful. He led the conversation. He was thinking about what was best for the country.”

But transport minister Heidi Alexander is understood to have told the prime minister on Friday that his time was up, while energy minister Ed Miliband, Ms Cooper and home secretary Shabana Mahmood told him to set a timetable for his departure.

Independent He has already revealed Sir Keir has been given until Tuesday morning’s cabinet meeting to make an announcement about his departure or “face humiliation” in a “brutal” leadership contest.

The prime minister will face a wave of ministerial resignations if he does not announce a timetable for leaving Downing Street.

But once Mr Burnham becomes Labor leader and prime minister as expected, it is clear there will be wholesale changes to his cabinet.

In a sign that he may not have a future as a cabinet minister in Burnham’s government, the Business Secretary revealed that he had received no response to his text congratulating him on the Makerfield result.

Asked on Sky News whether Sir Trevor Phillips had responded to Mr Burnham’s congratulations, Mr Kyle said: “No, he didn’t. But it was yesterday, he was very, very busy.”

Mr Kyle is known to be an ally of former health secretary Wes Streeting, who is also planning a leadership challenge, but is understood to be currently in talks with Mr Burnham about striking a deal with him to potentially become chancellor.

Former home secretary Jess Phillips told Laura Kuenssberg that Sir Keir was “that’s it” and said he should “resign honourably”.

However, Labor MP Toby Perkins said in the program that “there is no need for a contest” and added that “all indicators are going in the right direction”.

Burnham ally Luke Charters insisted Makerfield was an important moment in political history and “it was right for the prime minister to take the weekend to reflect”.

More than 100 Labor MPs have publicly told Sir Keir that his time is up as they seek to rally against the injured Reform England and Nigel Farage at the ballot box.

However, opposition parties are already considering the formation of a Burnham government and what it will mean for the country and the economy.

Conservative shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride has suggested Andy Burnham as prime minister could cause chaos in financial markets.

It is feared he will disrupt the stability created by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, with speculation she could tear up spending rules under pressure from unions after saying she wanted to reverse 40 years of liberal “trickle-down” economics.

Sir Mel said: “The markets are watching. And I think an Andy Burnham takeover would be bad and in the wrong direction.” He added that Mr Burnham was “flipping all over the place” during the by-election.

Meanwhile, two independent MPs are considering rejoining Labor in parliament if Sir Keir leaves.

Karl Turner was suspended for his vocal opposition to diluting the right to a jury trial, while Rosie Duffield left the party over anger at other policies, as well as being harassed for defending women.

Ms Duffield shared: “What exactly do you think we should be ‘grateful’ of Starmer for? This is our workplace and both Karl and I can speak frankly about the disgusting, technocratic, politically illiterate management we/our colleagues (who are now free to speak out as they do) have experienced.”