LONDON — British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves publicly declared her support Thursday for Andy Burnham to succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister, while sidestepping questions about whether she might be demoted if he takes the helm of the Labour Party.
“I’m supporting Andy to be prime minister,” Reeves told the BBC. Her comments came after Burnham stepped forward as the sole declared candidate to replace Starmer, who announced his resignation on Monday following pressure over poor poll numbers and disappointing local election results.
Starmer has pledged to manage a smooth transition of power. The formal leadership contest is scheduled to kick off on July 9.
Reeves, who has been a close ally of Starmer, emphasized her loyalty to the departing leader, noting that the two had worked together for six years.
With no other candidates having entered the race, Burnham is widely anticipated to take over without facing a challenge, which could put him in office as early as mid-July. Should that happen, he would become Britain’s seventh prime minister in just ten years.
When pressed about reports suggesting she could be reassigned to a lower-ranking position, Reeves made clear that such decisions would rest with Burnham alone.
“I’m not going to pre-empt the decisions that the new prime minister will make. I’m backing Andy. I think he’d be a great prime minister, but those are his decisions, not mine,” she said.
Reeves also indicated she was prepared to offer focused, short-term assistance on energy bills later this year.
On fiscal policy, Reeves said the incoming leader should honor her existing financial guidelines, which include balancing everyday government spending with tax income and bringing down national debt relative to economic output. Burnham has previously indicated he intends to maintain the current borrowing rules.
“I know that whoever is prime minister and chancellor in the future will inherit a stronger economy than the one I inherited two years ago,” Reeves said.
