Burnham rules out calling early election as PM

Andy Burnham, poised to potentially lead the Labour Party, has definitively ruled out calling an early general election should he assume the role of prime minister. In an online Ask Me Anything session on Reddit, Burnham confirmed his intention to govern until the scheduled 2024 election, adhering to the existing manifesto.

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No. As I said in my speech on Monday, I'm going to work to the 2024 manifesto.

Burnham is currently the only declared candidate to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader, with a potential leadership decision on July 20. The last general election occurred on July 4, 2024, resulting in a Labour landslide, which mandates the next election by August 2029, though a prime minister can call one sooner.

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You're going to be prime minister soon so it's time to start acting like one. Come out from hiding, face a proper press conference and submit yourself to scrutiny and some tough questions. Are you up for it?

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch challenged Burnham's approach, accusing him of avoiding tough questions and urging him to face a proper press conference. Burnham countered by referencing his recent engagement with 74,000 constituents in Makerfield. He has given only one media interview since announcing his leadership bid.

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Fair challenge Kemi - but don't forget it's only two weeks since I faced questions from 74,000 members of the public of Makerfield.

During the AMA, Burnham also touched upon several policy points. He indicated a desire to negotiate a returns agreement for failed refugees, including with Afghanistan. He committed to maintaining the triple lock on state pensions, citing the manifesto's importance. Furthermore, he expressed a willingness to pursue a closer relationship with the European Union, building on current government efforts.

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I appreciate there's a lot of debate about this but it is important that the commitment in the manifesto stands.