Opening summary: Lammy defends Starmer after Burnham confirms leadership ambitions
Hello and welcome to our UK politics blog.
David Lammy has expressed support for the prime minister, stating that Keir Starmer would participate in a leadership contest following Andy Burnham's announcement that he would enter the race if elected as an MP.
“There is no contest at the moment, and my view is it would be a huge distraction at this time,”the deputy prime minister told LBC this morning.
“The prime minister, by the way, has been absolutely clear: if there is a contest, he’ll be in it.”
“I’ve supported every leader of the Labour party. They’ve had my full loyalty. Keir Starmer has got my loyalty, full loyalty, until the day he no longer wishes to serve.”
These remarks followed the announcement by the Greater Manchester mayor that he would challenge the prime minister should a leadership race occur. This marks the first public indication from Burnham, who is contesting the Makerfield by-election, that he would consider launching a bid for the Labour leadership.
During an appearance on Question Time last night, Burnham stated:
“I think Wes Streeting seems to have launched a leadership contest, so if that is running, I would seek to join it. But I’d have to persuade members of the Parliamentary Labour Party to do the same.”
In response, Downing Street issued a statement asserting that Starmer
“will not walk away”and added:
“The country expects us to focus on governing and to deliver change for hard-working people, not get distracted by Westminster debates.”
In an interview with ’s political editor Pippa Crerar, Burnham indicated he would prioritize reforming England’s social care system if he became prime minister.
“It is urgent, the need to fix social care, and I personally would look at all of the kind of implications of that in relation to inheritance tax and care charges and everything. I wouldn’t flinch from it,”he said.
Also today, Lammy commented on tech billionaire Elon Musk’s social media activity amid ongoing events.
“I think there’s an IPO this week in the States on Starlink. Elon Musk should get on with that,”Lammy told .
“I mean, tweeting over 100 times about this tragic, horrific case … I urge Elon Musk to stay out of tweeting about this sensitive case.”
He added:
“I don’t spend time on X surfing Elon Musk tweets, so I haven’t read them, but I’m not sure any of them reached the standard that require that. But I think it is appropriate for politicians to urge Elon Musk to step back.”
Starmer has accused Musk of
“interfering in our politics”and attempting to create division through numerous social media posts about the murder of Nowak, many of which have incorporated far-right themes and talking points.
Lammy rejects US State Department criticism of 'two-tier policing' in UK
Further comments from David Lammy came during media appearances this morning.
He rejected the US State Department’s criticism regarding a
“two-tiered policing”system in the UK in connection with the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak.
The US State Department intervened following the December incident in Southampton, where Digwa stabbed Nowak five times with a Sikh ceremonial knife before informing police that Nowak had been racist towards him. This led officers to arrest and handcuff Nowak prior to noticing his fatal injuries.
In a post on X, the US State Department expressed condolences to Nowak’s family and stated:
“Ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing are glaring symptoms of civilisational decline.”( on this story).
When asked for his response, Lammy told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:
“I don’t recognise this caricature of a two-tier policing system in our country.
I just don’t see it in the interactions I have with policing, and so I do reject that.”
Lammy added that it was
“good”police chiefs are reviewing the wording of anti-racism guidance to ensure clarity for the public in such circumstances.
“And it sounds like there’s not clarity fully in this area,”he said.
