Minister calls for ‘swift transition’ of power to Burnham without challenge over Labour leadership – UK politics live

Former Starmer loyalist Nick Thomas-Symonds suggests battle over leadership would not be in ‘best interests of the country’

Good morning. Nothing is inevitable in life, but it is now all-but-certain that Andy Burnham will become the next Labour leader. There are still more than two weeks before the nominations for the leadership open on Thursday 9 July but – unless the Mail on Sunday can somehow unearth some surprise scandal about how Burnham has fathered a secret lovechild while also taking bribes from Israeli defence companies or whatever (which they won’t) – Burnham has in effect already won. He is the clear choice for Labour party members, and yesterday Labour MPs showed that they overwhelmingly back him too.

There is no realistic prospect of any alternative candidate beating Burnham in a leadership election. And there almost no realistic prospect of any person who does launch a leadership bid getting the support of 81 MPs, and the nominations from 5% of constituency Labour parties, or at least three affiliate organisations (of which two have to be unions), that they would need to be a candidate.

I’m backing Andy Burnham and, yes, looking for a swift transition.

I just think we have to weigh up what is in the best interests of the country. I am of the view that it needs to be a swift transition, but of course I understand colleagues have difficult decisions to make.

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