Starmer says successor Burnham faces ‘battle for soul of the nation’

Sir Keir Starmer said Andy Burnham must lead a “battle for the soul of the nation” as he admitted failings during his time in No 10.

The Prime Minister is expected to be replaced by Mr Burnham within weeks and advised his successor to prioritise education and opportunities for children and youths.

He admitted that “one of the failings” of his administration had been to set out a “simple and accessible vision for Britain’s future”.

Mr Burnham is the only declared candidate to replace Sir Keir as Labour leader and if no challenger emerges he will take on that role on July 17, becoming prime minister on July 20.

Two years on from the landslide that put him in No 10, Sir Keir wrote a post on Substack called “passing on the torch” defending his record and offering his advice to his successor – without referring to Mr Burnham by name.

The Makerfield MP’s return to Westminster after his time leading Greater Manchester ultimately triggered Sir Keir’s decision to quit rather than fight a leadership challenge.

The Prime Minister said the Labour Party was “the vehicle for social justice” in the country, although he it acknowledged it “can be a frustrating” one.

“But remove it and the forces of reaction, conservatism and grievance are free to turn Britain against itself unhindered,” he said.

“There is always some truth to that sweeping statement, but right now it feels a more urgent fight – a battle for the soul of the nation, as I have said elsewhere.

“It is a fight my successor must now lead and I wish them the very best in their endeavours.

“It is vital they succeed and they will do so with a strong foundation to build upon.”

He urged Mr Burnham to prioritise support for children when he takes over in No 10.

In a Substack post, Sir Keir, who did not name Mr Burnham, highlighted his Government’s record on ending the two-child benefit rule, extending free school meals and measures to improve youth employment.

“Any investment in a child, particularly in their early years, has the possibility of paying off for an entire lifetime.

“But in a society that must confront the politics of online division, I also believe this is a cause that will unite the country.

“It is more than a shared value, it’s a British ideal,” he said.

Sir Keir said that “while I have absolutely no intention of offering up advice for my successor, on this one issue I will break that vow: this is a cause they should take up as their own”.

Labour’s popularity plummeted after the 2024 landslide, with the mauling in May’s contests in English councils and the Welsh and Scottish parliaments showing the scale of the decline under Sir Keir.

The Prime Minister said: “It was always the plan to confront the toughest decisions early in the political cycle.

“The reason was simple: we needed to get Britain moving forward as quickly as possible.

“Equally, it was always the plan that the benefits would start to be visible now.”

He said the plan was for the Government’s “defining Labour purpose” to “start to shine through more clearly as the parliament progressed”.

“Some people might find that a strange thing to say,” he said.

“And I freely admit that one of the failings of my Government has been our struggle to boil the good work we have done into a simple and accessible vision for Britain’s future.”

Sir Keir acknowledged “the economy isn’t booming” but he blamed unfavourable “global circumstances” for that and said the UK was doing better than other members of the G7 group of leading democracies.

He said: “I have always felt that the most basic responsibility of being Prime Minister is to leave the country in a better place than when you found it.

“And as I reflect today, not just on two years in this role, but also what I will shortly pass on to my successor, I am proud that my Government achieved that.”