Keir Starmer signals he would give Andy Burnham a cabinet job

Andy Burnham canvassing in the Makerfield consistuency before Thursday’s byelection. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Andy Burnham canvassing in the Makerfield consistuency before Thursday’s byelection. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images Keir Starmer signals he would give Andy Burnham a cabinet job PM says Greater Manchester mayor is ‘huge asset’ who can play big part in Labour government if he wins byelection UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer has indicated he would give Andy Burnham a cabinet job, describing him as a “huge asset”, as he attempted to head off a challenge to his leadership that is expected to come after the Makerfield byelection on Thursday. Starmer, who is fighting for his political life from the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains in France, said if there was a leadership challenge, he intended to fight. “What I will say about Andy is he is a huge asset to our party and our movement,” he told reporters at the gathering in the French spa town. “I hope he wins the byelection and he plays a big part in the Labour government. He’s been a very successful mayor. When I came into politics, his was the team that I joined, and we work very closely together.” Starmer said it was important that Labour focused on the Greater Manchester mayoral byelection that would follow if Burnham wins in Makerfield, describing it as “one of the biggest byelections we’ve ever fought”. “[I]t’s really important to my mind that the whole of the Labour party and Labour movement focuses on that, which is the next most immediate task,” he said. Asked if there was any way he would stand aside as leader for Burnham or any other contender, such as the former health secretary Wes Streeting , he said: “I don’t think there should be a challenge. I think history, particularly the last government, shows that that isn’t a successful way for a government to behave. “But if there is a challenge then I intend to fight. I’m not going to walk away from that, and I’ve been clear and consistent about that.” Streeting has said he would be prepared to challenge Starmer and spark a Labour leadership contest as early as next week. He said “uncertainty and paralysis” had to be ended and he would give the prime minister at least the weekend to think about it. Burnham’s supporters are sceptical of Streeting’s bullishness about a contest and have cast doubt on whether he has the support of the 81 Labour MPs needed to trigger a leadership contest. Nevertheless, when asked on BBC Two’s Newsnight on Wednesday night if he would trigger a contest if Burnham wins, Streeting said: “I think the prime minister should be given some space and time to reflect over the weekend and I think we should see where we are then. “I would prefer the prime minister to take a decision on his own terms rather than leave it for me or Andy or anyone else to trigger a contest. If not, we can’t carry on with this uncertainty and paralysis and there will need to be a cont