Andy Burnham's path to Downing Street appeared to become clearer on Wednesday after another potential challenger ruled himself out of the Labour leadership race.
The former Greater Manchester mayor remains the only declared candidate to replace Keir Starmer following the Prime Minister's resignation. If no challenger secures enough support to force a contest, Burnham could become Labour leader and Prime Minister by mid-July.
Attention is now turning to what a Burnham government could look like, with reports suggesting Chancellor Rachel Reeves could be moved to a more junior Cabinet role if he takes office. A spokesperson for Burnham said no decisions had been made.
Several senior figures have already been identified as possible successors to Reeves at the Treasury. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has publicly backed Burnham's leadership bid, is among those being discussed. Other names include Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
The speculation comes as Burnham begins assembling a team around him while awaiting the outcome of the leadership process.
On Tuesday, Starmer and Burnham held talks for around an hour as the outgoing Prime Minister sought to ensure what allies described as an orderly transition of power. It was the pair's first meeting since Burnham won the Makerfield by-election.
Efforts to organise a challenge to Burnham appear to be losing momentum. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones confirmed he would not stand, saying Burnham would win a contest among Labour members.
Jones, a close ally of Starmer, said he had sought assurances from Burnham about his economic plans and was satisfied with the response he received.
However, former Armed Forces minister Al Carns has not ruled out entering the race. He said he was waiting to see more detail on Burnham's policy agenda before deciding whether to support him or launch a challenge of his own.
Despite that uncertainty, many Labour MPs now believe Burnham is on course to enter Number 10, with discussion increasingly focused on the composition of his future Cabinet rather than on whether he will secure the leadership itself.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defen...
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svet...
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister....
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defence, cybersecurity, trade and education.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
Pakistan is set to become a founding member of the China-led World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelling to Shanghai on Thursday to sign the founding agreement during a two-day visit.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
Two British hackers who carried out a cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL) that cost the transport authority £29 million to remediate have been jailed for a total of 11 years.
At least 11 people have been killed and 19 injured in a fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, state media reported. The blaze broke out early on Thursday at the institution in the eastern suburbs of Algiers.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
Russia launched a fresh wave of missile strikes on Ukraine early on Thursday, saying it had hit military and industrial facilities in Kyiv, as well as key port infrastructure in the southern Odesa region.
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