Starmer ‘unpopular’ but Labour must stop ‘internal-facing nonsense’, says minister
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics.
double quotation markHousing secretary Steve Reed, a close ally of Keir Starmer, has been on the media round this morning urging Labour colleagues to put the “country first, party second”, even as he admits the prime minister is “unpopular”.
When asked by Sky News whether replacing an unpopular prime minister is something the party should consider, he said: “Each of the last four prime ministers, in turn, has been the most unpopular prime minister we’ve ever had.”
He added: “What we need to do is all of us come together behind the prime minister and focus on how we can deliver the change the British public want to see faster.”
Prime minister Keir Starmer in the Commons on Wednesday. Photograph: House of Commons/AFP/Getty Images
A leadership challenge seems all but inevitable, with Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham potentially throwing his hat in the ring, but Reed rather bluntly stated “there is no leadership challenge” and hit out at the “internal-facing nonsense” plaguing the party.
He told the BBC: “If people wanted to gather the nominations then it’s open for them to do that – they would need to find enough Labour MPs that wanted to endorse them but nobody has done that.
“It’s been a very difficult week but we need to take a breath now, take this weekend to reflect on what’s going on, and come back next week and focus on the country we were elected to serve.”
Commenting on reports suggesting Starmer was considering his position last night, Reed told Times Radio “that isn’t true”, adding: “The Labour party will not copy the chaos we saw under the Conservatives.”
Labour MP Josh Simons announced yesterday that he would stand down from his constituency in Makerfield to make way for Burnham to stand as a candidate in a byelection.
Simons said he believed Burnham could “drive the change our country is crying out for”.
“We have lost the trust of those our party was built to serve. It is my unwavering belief that nothing short of urgent, radical, courageous reform will make a difference,” he told BBC Radio Manchester this morning.
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Updated at 10.01 CEST
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In today’s episode of Today in Focus, Guardian columnist Rafael Behr talks through a frantic day that started with Wes Streeting’s resignation as health secretary and ended with the very real possibility of his rival – Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham – returning to parliament.
But what, asks Nosheen Iqbal, do the runners and riders actually stand for? And is there any evidence they could take Labour out of the mess it’s in now?
You can listen to the episode here:
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In other news, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper is heading to China in early June, according to Reuters, citing three sources.
The trip to Beijing is reportedly scheduled for 2 and 3 June, where she is expected to holds talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Her trip will also see her in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen for meetings with businesses, Reuters reported.
The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
Keir Starmer and Chinese president Xi Jinping announced a reset in UK-China relations in January, pledging greater cooperation on trade, investment and technology after the government approved of plans for Beijing to build its largest embassy in Europe in London.
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Luke Akehurst, Labour MP for North Durham and a member of the national executive committee (NEC), said he expected Andy Burnham to be granted a waiver to stand in the Makerfield byelection.
“I don’t want to pre-judge [the NEC’s] decision, but everything I’m hearing suggests they’re going to give him a waiver to allow him to stand even though he’s a metro mayor,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“My sense is things have moved on from the previous byelection in Gorton and Denton and that the obstacles to [Burnham] running are not there if the local party members want to pick him.”
Burnham was prevented by Keir Starmer from running in the Gorton and Denton byelection earlier this year, to the anger of his backers in the party.
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UK borrowing costs rise and sterling falls as traders brace for Burnham
Graeme Wearden
UK government borrowing costs have jumped at the start of trading, and the pound has fallen, as City traders respond to the news that Andy Burnham now has a chance to become Labour’s next leader.
UK bond prices have dropped at the start of trading, which pushes up the yield (or interest rate) on these gilts, while the pound has dropped against the US dollar.
Yesterday, UK bond yields hit their lowest level since Monday after Wes Streeting failed to launch a leadership challenge as he quit the cabinet.
This morning, the yield on UK 10-year bond is up 11 basis points (0.11 of a percentage point) to 5.11%, suggesting concerns that the UK could aim to borrow more under a new prime minister.
Thirty-year bond yields are up 11 bps too to 5.76% – not far from the 28-year high of 5.81% hit on Tuesday.
Other government bond yields (such as the US and Japan) are rising too this morning, but UK borrowing costs are moving somewhat more sharply.
The pound has hit its lowest level in five weeks, down more than half a cent at one point to $1.333.
For more updates and other financial news, follow our business live blog here:
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What would potential Labour leadership candidates do differently to Starmer?
Wes Streeting, Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham. Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty
Wes Streeting’s resignation as health secretary, and the resignation of former minister Josh Simons as an MP to clear a path for Andy Burnham to return to parliament, has brought the prospect of a Labour leadership race one step closer, even if he has not triggered a contest himself.
Almost every critic of Keir Starmer has accused the prime minister of not being sufficiently “bold” in his policy choices. But what would his possible replacements actually do differently? In this explainer, the Guardian’s policy editor Kiran Stacey looks at the stances on key issues of Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner and Ed Miliband:
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Updated at 10.30 CEST
The new health secretary, James Murray, was pictured in Downing Street this morning on his first full day in the role.
He was appointed last night after Wes Streeting stepped down from the position, saying it would have been “dishonourable” to remain in post after he had lost confidence in prime minister Keir Starmer.
Newly appointed health secretary James Murray at 10 Downing Street. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Outgoing Labour MP spoke to Burnham’s team about Makerfield ‘earlier this week’
Labour MP Josh Simons, who stood down from his seat in Makerfield to pave the way for Andy Burnham’s return, said his decision was one of the “most difficult” he’s made, but that he’s “absolutely” confident the Greater Manchester mayor can win a byelection.
He told the BBC he spoke to Burnham’s team “for the first time seriously about this earlier this week”, adding: “It’s all been incredibly fast.”
Josh Simons MP, and Andy Burnham. Composite: UK Parliament/Danny Lawson/PA
The outgoing MP, whose wife recently had their third child, said he will spend more time with his family and help Burnham with his campaign.
To find out more about Simons, who has only been an MP for two years, the Guardian’s Whitehall editor Rowena Mason has put together a profile here:
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Starmer ‘unpopular’ but Labour must stop ‘internal-facing nonsense’, says minister
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics.
double quotation markHousing secretary Steve Reed, a close ally of Keir Starmer, has been on the media round this morning urging Labour colleagues to put the “country first, party second”, even as he admits the prime minister is “unpopular”.
When asked by Sky News whether replacing an unpopular prime minister is something the party should consider, he said: “Each of the last four prime ministers, in turn, has been the most unpopular prime minister we’ve ever had.”
He added: “What we need to do is all of us come together behind the prime minister and focus on how we can deliver the change the British public want to see faster.”
Prime minister Keir Starmer in the Commons on Wednesday. Photograph: House of Commons/AFP/Getty Images
A leadership challenge seems all but inevitable, with Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham potentially throwing his hat in the ring, but Reed rather bluntly stated “there is no leadership challenge” and hit out at the “internal-facing nonsense” plaguing the party.
He told the BBC: “If people wanted to gather the nominations then it’s open for them to do that – they would need to find enough Labour MPs that wanted to endorse them but nobody has done that.
“It’s been a very difficult week but we need to take a breath now, take this weekend to reflect on what’s going on, and come back next week and focus on the country we were elected to serve.”
Commenting on reports suggesting Starmer was considering his position last night, Reed told Times Radio “that isn’t true”, adding: “The Labour party will not copy the chaos we saw under the Conservatives.”
Labour MP Josh Simons announced yesterday that he would stand down from his constituency in Makerfield to make way for Burnham to stand as a candidate in a byelection.
Simons said he believed Burnham could “drive the change our country is crying out for”.
“We have lost the trust of those our party was built to serve. It is my unwavering belief that nothing short of urgent, radical, courageous reform will make a difference,” he told BBC Radio Manchester this morning.
Read more here:
Share
Updated at 10.01 CEST
