Andy Burnham Plans No 10 Team, May Replace Rachel Reeves as Chancellor by 17 July
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 24
Andy Burnham Plans No 10 Team, May Replace Rachel Reeves as Chancellor by 17 July
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 24
Summary
James Purnell is expected to become Andy Burnham’s Downing Street chief of staff as the sole Labour leadership candidate starts building a No 10 team ahead of a possible 17 July takeover.
Rachel Reeves is widely expected to lose the chancellorship under Burnham and be offered a more junior cabinet role, though his spokesperson said no decisions had been made.
Defence spending is emerging as Burnham’s first major policy test, with his team consulting former defence secretary John Healey after Healey quit warning planned military funding rises fell well short.
81 Labour MP nominations are needed to reach the ballot, leaving potential challengers Darren Jones and Al Carns needing broad backing if Labour MPs are to force a contest.