Key facts
- Chancellor Rachel Reeves has publicly endorsed Andy Burnham for prime minister.
- Reeves stated she has "more to do" in her current role and wants to remain Chancellor.
- Reeves highlighted her record on inflation and growth, and her support for Burnham's fiscal rules.
- Reports suggest Wes Streeting and Ed Miliband are frontrunners for the Chancellor position under Burnham.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has publicly declared her support for Andy Burnham to become the next prime minister, while also asserting her desire to remain in her current role. Speaking at the British Chambers of Commerce conference, Reeves stated she has "more to do" as Chancellor and is "proud" of her record on inflation and growth, claiming she has brought "stability" to the UK economy. She indicated that Burnham, who returned to parliament recently, would "become Prime Minister" and emphasized their close working relationship. Reeves also defended her tax-raising choices, stating the alternative would have been a government losing control of public finances. She expressed hope that any future Chancellor would maintain her fiscal rules, which Burnham has reportedly backed. Reports have suggested that Wes Streeting and Ed Miliband are frontrunners for the Chancellor position under Burnham's potential premiership, with Reeves's aides reportedly lobbying business leaders to advocate for her continuity in the Treasury. Reeves was notably absent from outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's resignation speech but later appeared for a selfie with Burnham, stating she was "backing Andy" but would not "pre-empt the decisions that the new Prime Minister will make."