Reeves backs Burnham for PM despite fears over cabinet future
Rachel Reeves backed Andy Burnham for prime minister as Labour’s succession fight sharpened, while aides sought to keep her as chancellor.
Rachel Reeves backed Andy Burnham to become prime minister on BBC Breakfast, even as allies moved to protect her position at the Treasury if he reaches Downing Street. Reeves said, "I’m supporting Andy to be prime minister" and added that Cabinet decisions would be Burnham’s, not hers.
He won the Makerfield by-election on 18 June after Josh Simons resigned the seat on 14 May to create the vacancy, Burnham was confirmed as Labour’s candidate on 19 May, and nominations closed on 26 May. With Burnham now in Parliament, he can challenge Sir Keir Starmer, who has told Labour’s governing body to open nominations for a new leader on 9 July and finish the contest by 16 July so the party has a leader in place when Parliament returns on 1 September.
Reeves has not ruled out serving in a lower Cabinet post under Burnham, saying that would be the new prime minister’s "prerogative". Aides to the chancellor have also asked business figures to lobby Burnham to keep her as Chancellor. Burnham is wary of appointing Ed Miliband as chancellor because he wants to avoid a repeat of the tensions that defined the Blair-Brown era.
House of Commons Library guidance allows Burnham to stand for election as an MP while still mayor of Greater Manchester, but if he is elected he is automatically disqualified from the mayoralty and the office becomes vacant immediately. Electoral Commission guidance covers the same point for a combined authority mayor who becomes an MP, although the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 changes the position again at the end of June.
Streeting has already backed Burnham and ruled himself out of the leadership race, and at least two Labour MPs are weighing a challenge.
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