Andy Burnham must call General Election demand Brits in bombshell poll
Andy Burnham must call General Election demand Brits in bombshell poll
Mr Burnham's team has ruled out an early election if he becomes Britain's next prime minister.
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Add us as preferred source Comments By Laura Zilincanova 09:53, Tue, Jun 23, 2026 Updated: 10:20, Tue, Jun 23, 2026 
Sir Keir Starmer's most likely successor, Andy Burnham, should call a General Election if he becomes Prime Minister, according to an overwhelming majority of Express readers who voted in our poll. It comes after Nigel Farage called for a snap general election following Sir Keir Starmer's resignation. The Reform UK leader warned Labour against installing a new leader to replace the outgoing Prime Minister.
Mr Farage said: "Reform demands an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change. If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No. 10, it has another thing coming." The Conservatives have also called for an early election.
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According to the poll, which received 8,902 votes, the vast majority of readers (8,528) support the idea, while only 331 disagreed. A small minority of 43 respondents said they did not know.
According to YouGov data from June 15, if a General Election were held tomorrow, 24% of Britons would vote for Reform UK, while 19% would vote for the Conservatives and an equal 19% for Labour. The Green Party and the Liberal Democrats would secure 15% and 13% of the vote, respectively.
But Mr Burnham's team has ruled out an early election if he becomes Britain's next prime minister.
Mr Farage's intervention comes after Sir Keir announced he is quitting in an emotional statement outside 10 Downing Street.
He said his party had asked "whether I am best placed to lead us into the next General Election".
Sir Keir said: "I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace."
His decision to go means there will now be a Labour leadership contest to replace him, with his successor in place by September.
There is no requirement for a General Election if the prime minister changes.
If a PM chooses to resign when their administration has an overall majority, the practice is for the party in Government (and its members) to identify a successor.
Labour's ruling body has yet to formally confirm the timetable for this process.
Sir Keir has said he would like nominations to open on July 9 - a day after the NATO summit, which he looks likely to attend.
Any Labour MP who wants to be on the final ballot will have to secure the backing of at least 20% of Labour MPs, which currently stands at 81 (including themselves).
The final winner must receive more than half of the votes cast.
If no candidate receives that total as a first preference, then votes are redistributed according to preferences until one candidate secures at least half the votes.
Sir Keir said a new leader will be in place by September 1, when Parliament returns from recess.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
