Burnham joins campaign launch for Labour’s Manchester mayor candidate

Andy Burnham has joined other senior Labour figures campaigning for the party’s candidate in the Greater Manchester mayoral election.

The Makerfield MP, and likely successor to Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street, was present at the campaign launch for Labour’s Bev Craig at a football club in Manchester.

They were joined by Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, and deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell, both of whom are also MPs for Greater Manchester constituencies.

Labour campaigners at the Radcliffe Football Club rally held up placards which read “Vote Bev For Us”, echoing the slogan on Mr Burnham’s own promotional materials in the Makerfield by-election.

Mr Burnham is widely expected to succeed Sir Keir as Labour leader by July 17, as no other challenges have stepped forward to contest the Labour leadership.

Should this continue to be the case and he is named Labour leader by that date, he could be appointed prime minister as soon as July 20.

Mr Burnham is currently mulling over who to appoint to his Cabinet should he become prime minister.

Rachel Reeves appears to have conceded she will no longer be staying on as Chancellor, with several senior ministers including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband reportedly in the running to succeed her.

An unlikely alliance of some trade unionists and city traders have reportedly urged Mr Burnham against appointing Mr Miliband as chancellor, because they believe his net zero policies to be damaging.

But transport union the TSSA has thrown its weight behind Mr Miliband.

TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: “The Labour movement needs an experienced hand as chancellor who is responsive to the needs of working people and who represents a clear break from the status quo.

“The next Chancellor must be serious about growing the economy by investing properly in the infrastructure Britain needs to unlock sustainable growth.

“That growth must have tangible benefits for working people through better wages, secure jobs and rising living standards.

“We believe Ed Miliband has demonstrated that he understands the need for a different approach, one that is prepared to invest for the long term and deliver an economy that works for everyone.

“We think Ed Miliband should be the next occupant of Number 11.”

The Labour mayoral campaign was launched as the Prime Minister is faced with the prospect of an internal Home Office spat.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has asked Sir Keir to sack migration minister Mike Tapp, after he wrote an article which appeared to break with Government policy on migration.

She has also banned him from access to sensitive documents and meetings without her approval, after he claimed he could share “receipts” which proved he came up with ideas to dampen strict new migration plans.

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