𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Labour big beast Andy Burnham has finally issued a statement of support for Keir Starmer, after over a day of notable silence amid the ongoing leadership crisis.  Yesterday Keir Starmer managed to coordinate supportive statements for him continuing as Prime Minister from the entire cabinet, plus figures like Angela Rayner.

However Mr Burnham failed to post a similar message on social media, suggesting he was supportive of efforts to remove Sir Keir from Downing Street after being blocked from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election. Speaking this afternoon at the Resolution Foundation think tank, Mr Burnham finally said that Keir Starmer “has my support”, but said radical change must now come about both in policy and how the government works. Mr Burnham said: “Yes he has my support. The government has my support.”

The Labour grandee said he believes Labour must now pull together to enact radical change and bring down the cost of living, if it wants to defeat Reform UK.

Mr Burnham called for “root and branch political reform in Whitehall”, and widespread changes to Government, the MP whipping system and the House of Lords.

The Manchester Metro Mayor said: “I believe with the right action it’s possible for Britain to free itself from the housing crisis and cost of living crisis in a decade.

“To build this new economy I also believe we must first create a new politics.

“I would say our national political system is too short-term, too focused on point scoring and concentrates power in too few hands.

“If we are to do the heavy lifting of repairing Britain’s essentials, we will need this new political culture.

“I believe that requires electoral reform, reform of the whip system, and thirdly, reform of the upper house

Mr Burnham declined to comment on Wes Streeting’s leadership manoeuvres, claiming that the Labour chaos of the past few days have “drawn a heavy line under a political culture that was too close to wealth and power and too distant from the lives of people we’re talking about today.

“I think there should be more [change] though and now it’s about a relentless focus on these things.”

“What I am calling for today is the unity to create the stability, to give the government the platform to focus on all the things I’m talking about today. We’ve got to get away from the sense that everything is a challenge [to Starmer’s leadership].

“We need to dial down all this constant briefing. It’s seemingly a bit endless the anonymous briefing that’s all around us.”

He said Labour’s sole focus in the short term must now be winning the Gorton by-election, and defeating Reform. Mr Burnham added: “I will say to you all today [it] is winnable for Labour.”