Starmer will not set timetable to step down – even if Burnham wins by-election

WorldPolitics
18 May 2026 • 11:00 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Starmer will not set timetable to step down – even if Burnham wins by-election

  • Sir Keir Starmer has stated he will not set a timetable to leave No 10 and intends to lead Labour into the next general election, despite internal party calls for his exit.
  • Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is seeking to return to Parliament as Labour's candidate in the Makerfield by-election, with the aim of challenging for the party leadership.
  • Mr Burnham declared that if he is successful, his return would be a 'vote to change Labour,' arguing that the party's previous offer to voters has 'simply not been good enough.'
  • He outlined a platform focused on making life more affordable, powering up regions, and reindustrialising, advocating for further devolution and rejecting a return to the European Union.
  • Sir Keir Starmer has called for party unity in the upcoming Makerfield by-election, describing it as a 'fight between Labour and Reform' and pledging his full support for the chosen candidate.

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