Starmer latest: PM expected to announce departure on Monday ahead of Burnham’s arrival in Westminster

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak has warned Andy Burnham his support could run out if he wins the top job.

write in a column TimesThe former Tory leader warned that leaders across Europe face pressure to deliver faster than ever before.

He said: “Political capital is losing value faster than ever. The fact that both Starmer and Merz are facing such leadership speculation less than two years after winning elections is a case in point.”

“Burnham must accept that if he reaches No 10 he will never have more power than his first day on the job. It is vital that he has a clear and achievable plan for what he wants to do during those working hours.”

It’s fair to say that when Labor wins a by-election, Labor MPs are usually invited to a photo interview when the winner comes to parliament. writes Political Editor David Maddox.

However, this time it was received differently. An invitation has been sent to the Parliamentary Labor Party (PLP) office for a photocall with Andy Burnham at Westminster Hall on Monday at 3pm.

The invitation is already being described as a “coronation”, with the expectation that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is working on a deal to hand over the party leadership and the role of Prime Minister to Mr Burnham.

Normally, most MPs do not attend these photo calls, but almost everyone is expected to be present at this meeting. The 3pm timing conveniently falls just after the morning when the prime minister is expected to make his fateful announcement from the Downing Street podium that he will give up power.

Perhaps the only problem now would be if enough MPs support an alternative candidate to run against Mr Burnham in a contest. Otherwise, the photo call could turn into a coronation.

Concerns are growing around suggestions that Sir Keir Starmer could wait until September to resign, despite reports that the Prime Minister could announce a timetable as early as Monday.

A minister told Times If the handover does not take place by the autumn, Andy Burnham’s premiership could be “determined by Starmer’s decisions”.

There are NATO and EU summits next month where important decisions regarding defense spending must be taken. Aubrey Allegretti writes in The Times.

One MP said: “Waiting all summer is stupid and incredibly self-indulgent.”

It was stated that Sir Keir Starmer “has not actually decided to leave” yet. ITV’s Political Editor Robert Peston.

He spoke to a cabinet minister today and the minister said the prime minister had not made a decision either way. Writing in a post on

“All this tells me that the decision I made on Friday still stands, the uncertainty may continue until Tuesday, but probably not much longer.”

The intervention by party board member and former communications director Gawain Towler came after Reform lost Makerfield to a candidate who was criticized for crude social media comments about women and proudly declared himself a “sexist”.

But with the post-mortem on the defeat already ongoing, Reform has also turned down invitations to appear on Sunday morning politics programmes, even avoiding his preferred channel GB News.

There are also allegations that Farage is being pressured to reduce the role of Zia Yusuf, who is believed to have put voters in the middle with his rhetoric of “mass deportation”, or to keep domestic affairs on the sidelines. Mr Yusuf has also become a hate figure among right-wing voters gravitating towards Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain campaign.

Read the rest of David Maddox’s article here:

Home Secretary Mike Tapp retweeted a post hinting at Sir Keir Starmer’s sense of betrayal after more than 100 MPs called for his resignation following Andy Burnham’s election victory in Makerfield.

The post quotes a Labor source as saying the prime minister felt “betrayed”, according to Politics UK’s account.

“He gave everything to Labor, including sacrificing most of his children’s teenage years to make the party electable,” the source said.

“He feels deeply betrayed, especially by those he believed were loyal to him.”

Economy Minister Peter Kyle told broadcasters on Sunday that he had not spoken to the prime minister since Friday, when he “spoke openly”.

Asked about reports that Sir Keir Starmer is planning to announce his resignation next week, he told Sky News in an interview with Trevor Phillips on Sunday Morning: “I have nothing to believe that is true. I see a lot of speculation out there.”

“All I can really say is that the Prime Minister is working as hard as he does every day.

“He is one of the hardest working people I have ever come across and he is out there working as hard today as he has every day I have known Keir.

“At the same time, he seeks to create a space in which he can think and reflect on the political realities, challenges and opportunities that lie before us.”

Home Secretary Mike Tapp has called for changes to the law to prevent the “constant change” of prime ministers.

“Is it time to legislate; if a change of leader is forced by his own party then there needs to be a General Election,” he wrote in a post on X on Sunday.

“This will stop the constant chaos and enable all politicians to focus on delivery rather than workplace politics.

“These endless ‘house of cards’ games will end and the country will benefit. Let’s pass a law that will focus minds.”

If Starmer is replaced, Britain will have its seventh prime minister in a decade.

US President Donald Trump said Sir Keir Starmer would “resign” as prime minister and accused him of “failing badly” on immigration and energy.

Writing on social media platform Truth Social on Sunday, Mr Trump said: “Keir Starmer will resign as UK prime minister. He has failed badly on two very important issues – immigration and energy (Open North Sea oil!). I wish him good luck! President DJT”.

Since the duo did not speak this weekend, it is thought that the post was based on media reports.