Dylan

24 • 📸 •

[Steven Swinford @Steven_Swinford]

EXCLUSIVE:

Andy Burnham is expected to appoint a former Blairite cabinet minister who is one of his oldest political allies as his chief of staff as he seeks to overhaul No 10

James Purnell, who served as pensions minister, culture secretary, and work and pensions secretary in the New Labour governments of Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, is the frontrunner for the role, The Times has been told

He is said to be viewed by Burnham as a “serious figure” who is capable of implementing his radical plans to reform Downing Street and Whitehall

The pair, who entered parliament together in 2001, shared an office as novice Greater Manchester MPs, with Burnham representing Leigh and Purnell holding Stalybridge & Hyde

Burnham frequently joked that he was overlooked for broadcast interviews in favour of Purnell, who was educated in France and Surrey

Purnell is chief executive of Flint Global, a major PR and lobbying firm, a role that may present issues over potential conflicts of interest in government

https://t.co/e3qmp06x7W

[Tony Diver @Tony_Diver]

EXC

Andy Burnham has told allies he plans to spend more on defence than Sir Keir Starmer.

The former mayor of Manchester has met Labour MPs and reassured them he wants to give the Ministry of Defence more than the £13.5bn offered in the defence investment plan.

The Telegraph understands Burnham’s team has also held discussions with John Healey about boosting military spending.

Meanwhile, Burnham is locked in a row with Downing Street over Sir Keir’s decision to press ahead with publishing the DIP before he steps down next month.

Allies told The Telegraph that Sir Keir had no right to go ahead with it before the Nato summit in Turkey on July 7, as he had originally planned.

w/@SheridanDani @DominicPenna @TomCotterillX

[Alex Deane @ajcdeane]

If Burnham becomes PM as expected, he will never have as much power as he has on day one of being in office.

Therefore, some unsolicited hit the ground running policy suggestions for success, which after all will be our country’s success too.

- bin Chagos. It wasn’t in the manifesto, it’s really expensive & it annoys the Yanks. Helps the balance sheet, shows a bright line between you & Starmer, points from the White House.

- drop at least some of Net Zero. At least oil and gas extraction. The economy needs it, exigent circumstances in the energy markets mean you can justify it, you want to be competitive in Scotland again (yours wasn’t the only by-election last week…), and the Unions will approve.

- drop the jury trials plan. It doesn’t save money, it looks awful, came out of nowhere and will give you a lot of flak from people you want onside including the bien pensant who are willing you on. Many on the left are troubled by this just as much as the right.

- look at the success (yes, success!) in the NHS in stopping foreign applicants taking consultancies at the expense of British doctors, and replicate it more broadly. Helps our future, helps your net migration numbers, helps a set of young voters looking for reasons to trust your party again.

- deport foreign criminals and make a huge song and dance about it when you do so. This one’s shorthand is “unleash Mahmood.”

Just a few thoughts, hopefully not too party political, which Burnham could implement without veering from core Labour values or the manifesto your MPs stood on.

(The brave and right and bipartisan call would be scrapping the triple lock. But I’ve sought to be realistic.)

[Dylan @ReddanDylan]

@siennamarla @alistrathern Sure, but only if they admit that regardless of what we do it's minuscule in comparison to the impact the US, China, India and the rest of the developing world are having on the climate.

We can't put ourselves at a disadvantage and poorer to make us feel good about ourselves.

[Sienna Rodgers @siennamarla]

EXCL: Full details of Labour's leadership timetable revealed

– MPs nominate: Thursday 9 July to Wednesday 15 July
– MP hustings: Monday 13 July
– Affiliated organisations nominate: Wednesday 15 July at 6pm to Thursday 16 July at 6pm
– Special conference to confirm result on Friday 17 July

I'm told:
– Burnham expected to become PM on the same day
– Even if he is the only candidate, he needs both MP and affiliate nominations
– Even if all MPs nominate before 15 July or more than 80% back Burnham, the window won't be shortened

 https://t.co/WO2slThkjr

[Election Maps UK @ElectionMapsUK]

Westminster Voting Intention:

RFM: 25% (+1)
CON: 20% (+1)
LAB: 18% (-1)
GRN: 15% (=)
LDM: 14% (+1)
RES: 3% (-1)
SNP: 3% (+1)

Via @YouGov, 21-22 Jun.
Changes w/ 14-15 Jun.

[David Lawrence @dc_lawrence]

Here are ten things Burnham could do in his first 100 days to boost growth.

🚎 Allow Mayors to approve & fund local transport through TWAOs
⏩ Introduce legislation to fast-track transport projects across the UK, like Mark Carney did in Canada
🏡 Let local communities approve new developments with street votes
🏘️ National policy to enable high-quality residential annexes and granny flats, which are delivering enormous benefits in places like California
🔌 Allow industry (incl data centres) to fund & build their own grid connections (£billions of latent investment)
⚡️ Implement all of the Fingleton nuclear recommendations in legislation
⚖️ Replace stamp duty with a proportional property tax, applied to new purchases
🚉 Use land value capture to self-fund new crossrails in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds & Glasgow
🔋 Move all energy levies onto general taxation to immediately reduce bills, scrap CCS & hydrogen levies
🏨 Quickly implement the draft national policy to enable high-quality dense housing around commuter stations in unaffordable areas

Together, these would deliver immediate fiscal headroom from positive OBR/bond market scoring.

[Tony Diver @Tony_Diver]

NEW: Am told "dozens" of Labour MPs are now pushing for a Darren Jones leadership bid, including some ministers. The number of MPs contacting him to urge him to run has continued to rise after Starmer's resignation speech this morning.

The case from Jones allies is that Burnham should not be allowed to take over without a contest or mandate. They also say that he is relatively untested. The hope is that a critical mass of MPs who are uncomfortable with Burnham will get Jones on the ballot and force a contest.

The risk, obviously, is that these MPs are split between Jones and another contender, which could be Al Carns.

Latest: https://t.co/rueeZ50jA2

[Harriet Symonds @harriet_symonds]

EXC: Labour MPs opposed to a coronation are rallying around Darren Jones to challenge Andy Burnham for the leadership

An MP organising for him tells me: ‘Lots of people are pushing Darren to stand.

There is real opposition to a coronation for someone who hasn't really said what he believes in or will do as PM’

[Al Carns @AlistairCarns]

The question now is how we govern differently so Britain becomes stronger on every front at once.

My piece on what should come next ⬇️

https://t.co/I7LZTIMCon

[Steven Swinford @Steven_Swinford]

BREAKING

The Brexit reset summit with the EU - which was scheduled for July 22nd - has been postponed

Antonia Costa, the president of the European Council, says that he hopes that Starmer's successor will provide 'continuity'

This was going to be a big moment for Starmer, but is now heading into the middle distance. Over to Andy Burnham...

[Al Carns @AlistairCarns]

Keir has done the right thing. It took courage to make that decision and I respect him for it.

The Labour Party now has an important job to do. The country is watching to see if we can get our act together and focus on the work we were elected to do. That's where my focus is now.

We have the ideas, we have the talent, but we need the courage and leadership to deliver them. That's what comes next.

[Aubrey Allegretti @breeallegretti]

Breaking: Wes Streeting folds behind Andy Burnham, urges coronation over contest.

"We could spend the summer exaggerating small differences, or we can roll up our sleeves and help him to deliver the change our Party and our country needs. That is the choice that I am making and I hope that everyone else will back Andy too."

https://t.co/Hkt72sJJcm

[Dan Bloom @danbloom1]

🚨🚨🚨 Wes Streeting has backed out of launching a leadership challenge and backed Andy Burnham

It means there will almost certainly be a coronation and Burnham will be in Downing Street in late July

Team Wes insisting there has been "no deal" with Burnham to get to this point

[Jack Elsom @JackElsom]

Labour NEC meeting at 4pm to confirm the leadership timetable

[Andy Burnham @AndyBurnhamGM]

Keir has given huge service to our country and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period.

His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.

The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get.

As we move forward, our priority must be to work together to get the country back to where we all want it to be. People want to see progress on economic growth, cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never distract from the responsibility to improve people's lives.

The Labour movement has always been at its strongest when it looks forward with confidence and purpose. This is what we will do from here and we will make sure this transition is a positive process of renewal for our party and our country.

[Pippa Crerar @PippaCrerar]

BREAKING: Keir Starmer announces he will stand down as PM after days of intense pressure from Labour MPs, kicking off process of UK installing 7th leader in decade.

"The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election.

"I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.

"Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first, that is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party."

[Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot]

A July transition is the strong preference from many of the most influential figures around Andy Burnham - if there is no other candidate in a leadership contest.

https://t.co/LYdUNKDnM4

[Tom Harwood @tomhfh]

9th July noms open.

New leader by the summer recess.

Starmer to remain as PM until contest complete.