Starmer's resignation

Heavy Starmer ally backs Andy Burnham

One of the outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's closest associates, Darren Jones, is backing Andy Burnham as the new Labour leader and prime minister. Reuters reports.

Jones says he has discussed fiscal policy with Burnham and has been convinced that Burnham has a sustainable line in the area. They are said to have talked about how the state should be able to borrow more, among other things.

Jones has previously been identified as a possible challenger to Burnham. The fact that he is now signaling that he will not run means that everything now points to Burnham taking over from Starmer, writes The Independent.

Sources: Burnham and Starmer in frosty meeting - quick change may await

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his likely successor Andy Burnham met on Tuesday to discuss a transition of power, writes The Guardian. The meeting is described as “frosty”, according to the newspaper.

Burnham’s team is said to have hoped that Starmer would be willing to stay until September so that they would have plenty of time for preparations. But Starmer is said to have been uninterested in this.

“Why would they tell Keir they want to get rid of him and at the same time expect him to steer the ship through a potentially difficult summer?” says a Starmer ally.

Instead, there could be a change of power in just a few weeks.