Senior minister and Starmer ally Darren Jones has ruled himself out of taking on Andy Burnham for the Labour leadership.
Mr Jones, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, told Sky News this morning that he had been “reassured” about the former Greater Manchester mayor’s economic plans following a conversation on Tuesday.
Asked whether he would stand himself, Mr Jones said: “I’m not. And, look, I’m flattered by the support from colleagues, whether MPs or other important stakeholders in the party, but, look, it’s not something that I’m going to do.”
Mr Burnham, who was sworn in as Makerfield MP on Monday, having won the by-election last week is the favourite to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister.
However, former defence minister Al Carns, who resigned earlier this month in a row over defence spending, remains a possible contender, telling the BBC on Tuesday he was “pretty serious” about launching a bid but wanted to see what policies the party’s newest MP would champion.
Labour minister says she would ‘absolutely’ back Burnham
Labour minister Catherine Atkinson said she would “absolutely” back Andy Burnham as leader, insisting he is a “hugely experienced politician”.
“Andy Burnham is a hugely experienced politician. He was a Home Office minister, he was a Treasury minister, he was health secretary, and he has shown that he is able to deliver when he was mayor of Greater Manchester”, she said.
“I was in Makerfield for the last couple of weekends before the election, and for me, I saw hundreds and hundreds of volunteers who were really inspired to be doing their bit to see hope overcoming division.
“And that’s what I think politics should be about, not about the kind of donations you get from crypto billionaires, so I think that Andy could be the could be that leader, and we will see what the rest of the Parliamentary Labour Party thinks.”
Pressed on whether she backs him as Labour leader, she told Sky News: “Yes, I would absolutely back Andy to be leader, but I am conscious that we have got a prime minister in Keir Starmer who has always been putting the country first. I think that’s what he was seeking to do in the decision that he took.”
Millie Cooke24 June 2026 07:51
