UK PM Starmer says his time as leader is not over

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his term as the country’s leader is not over and he will not step down or set a timetable for his departure, as his rival has promised to “change the Labor Party” if he is successful in his bid to return to parliament.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is hoping to become the Labor candidate in the Makerfield by-election, which could give him a route back to parliament to challenge Starmer for the party leadership and the keys to Downing Street.

Speaking to reporters in London, Starmer was asked whether he would set a timetable for stepping back if his rival Burnham returns to Westminster.

“I won’t do that,” Starmer replied.

“I want to fight in the next election. Frankly, I realize that after the local election results, as well as the Welsh and Scottish elections, the first task is to turn things around and make sure my focus is in the right place,” he said.

Asked if he would enter the leadership contest if his opponent had 81 MPs, he said: “We are not in that position… but I have said, I don’t know how many times, that I will not walk away.”

Burnham said on Monday Labor’s offer to voters was “not good enough”.

Speaking at a northern investment summit in Leeds, he said: “I am clear about what I propose. If I stand up, one vote for me will be one vote to change Labor, because Labor needs to change if we are to regain people’s trust.”

“There will be a vote to make life more affordable again, a vote to retrofit places, a vote to reindustrialise.”

He promised “a new path to bring the country back together” and added: “I know that the proposals my party has made in the past are not good enough.”

In her speech, Burnham called for “serious restructuring of this country” and “maximum devolution”, saying “we cannot continue with a bloated national state and an undernourished local state”.

Burnham said she wanted to “transfer power and resources back to local areas” if she returned to parliament.

with PA