Rachel Reeves warns Andy Burnham needs a worked-through plan
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has told the BBC that Andy Burnham must have a worked-through plan before he walks into Downing Street as Britain's next prime minister. With 322 Labour MPs already backing him, Burnham is one nomination shy of an uncontested path to No 10 on 20 July.
Rachel Reeves issued the warning in what is likely her last major broadcast interview as chancellor, speaking to Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC. Her message lands as Burnham stands alone as Labour's only declared leadership candidate and moves within a single MP nomination of sealing the succession to Sir Keir Starmer.
Key Takeaways
- Rachel Reeves said Andy Burnham needs a worked-through plan because governing in Britain is hard and shocks await any new PM.
- 322 of 403 Labour MPs have nominated Burnham; 323 would make a rival candidacy mathematically impossible.
- If no challenger enters, Burnham is expected to be declared Labour leader next week and prime minister on 20 July.
- Reeves told the BBC she will hand over a stable economy and wants Burnham's premiership to succeed.
What did Rachel Reeves tell Andy Burnham?
In the interview, Reeves said it is "important that when Andy walks through that door he has a worked-through plan, because governing is hard in Britain, and lots of challenges and shocks will come his way." She said Burnham and his incoming team must be "really clear about what they want to achieve."
Reeves added that he "needs to stay laser-focused on those things that have always motivated him, have always driven him." According to the BBC, she told Kuenssberg she will be handing over a stable economy to the incoming prime minister.
Why is Andy Burnham nearly certain to become PM?
Burnham has emerged as the only declared candidate in Labour's contest to replace Sir Keir Starmer. The BBC reports that 322 Labour MPs have nominated him, just one short of the 323 needed before it becomes mathematically impossible for a rival to reach the 81-MP threshold required to run.
Some MPs said they were not able to vote on Thursday but will back Burnham once they are back in Parliament. Candidates have until the following Wednesday to gather 81 nominations. Burnham would also need backing from at least three affiliated socialist societies or trade unions, which the BBC describes as likely to be a formality.
Full details are in the BBC's nomination tally report.
When will the leadership handover happen?
If no one else enters the contest, as expected, Burnham will be declared Labour leader next week before taking office as prime minister on 20 July. That would see him propelled into Downing Street without a summer vote among party members and affiliated trade union supporters.
Reeves gave the interview as the handover draws near. Read the full BBC interview with Rachel Reeves for her remarks on preparation and ambition.
Did Reeves criticise Burnham's long-term planning?
Asked if she was disappointed that Burnham has been planning his time as PM for a year, as a Labour MP admitted this week, Reeves said it is "perfectly reasonable for people to have ambition." She noted Burnham has never shied away from wanting to lead the Labour Party at some point.
"I want him to be ready for that, because I want it to be a success and I am sure he will be," she told the BBC. For more breaking UK coverage, browse our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries section.