It’s still unclear whether there will be a leadership contest or an uncontested handover of power
Starmer expected to announce exit plan to clear way for Burnham to become PM
‘A shift has taken place’: Starmer faces the music after weekend of reflection
Jacqui Smith, the education minister, was also on the Today programme. When Nick Robinson, the presenter, put it to her that ‘it’s over, isn’t it?’, Smith replied: “No, I think you’re getting ahead of yourself.”
Gus O’Donnell, the former cabinet secretary, was interviewed on the Today programme this morning. Asked if he was worried about Britain becoming as unstable politically as Italy used to be (see 7.11am), O’Donnell replied:
It will be our seventh [PM] in a decade.
I do think we need to think about, if we’re having a prime minister change in mid-term, what’s the problem?
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