Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Prime Minister and a close ally of Keir Starmer, says he will not challenge Andy Burnham for the Labour leadership. Speaking to Sky News, Jones states he made the decision after talks with Burnham and says he was reassured about Burnham’s economic plans. He also says he does not plan to run a leadership campaign and argues that Burnham will be “the next prime minister.”
Jones notes that Labour Party rules require any challenger to secure support from at least 81 MPs, and he says he had “the numbers” to mount a challenge, but chooses not to. He adds that “upwards of 100” MPs have concerns about Burnham becoming prime minister without a leadership contest. In his account, these concerns centre on possible increases in government borrowing, though Jones says there is a “route” to borrowing for specific projects, such as building more council houses, while maintaining economic stability and fiscal rules.
Several outlets report that Jones’s position makes it all but certain that Burnham will not face a contested leadership challenge and will become prime minister at a planned Labour leadership conference on 17 July.
