Barely a poll bounce for Labour as Starmer makes way for Burnham
Labour has barely registered a polling bounce since Keir Starmer quit and Andy Burnham closes in on becoming his successor as Prime Minister.
The latest YouGov survey shows Labour's support up two percentage points to 20 per cent since Sir Keir announced he will stand down.
But this is within the margin of error of last week's poll and Labour still trails Reform UK by four points.
Nigel Farage's party is on 24 per cent in the latest poll – down one point from the previous survey.
The Tories are unchanged on 20 per cent in this week's poll, with the Greens (down two points) and the Liberal Democrats (down one point) both on 13 per cent.
It is the lowest figure recorded for the Greens since last October, and is down eight points from their peak in early March, which came shortly after Zack Polanski's party won the Gorton and Denton by-election.
The 40 per cent of voters who said they would back either Labour or the Tories is the highest combined vote share for Britain's traditional two main parties since last July.
Sir Keir announced he will resign as PM in a tearful speech last week, following Mr Burnham's victory in the Makerfield by-election.
Andy Burnham is set to become Prime Minister on 20 July, if he remains the only candidate to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader
Mr Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, is now almost certain to replace Sir Keir at No10 in the absence of any other Labour leadership contenders, and could become PM on 20 July.
Yesterday, in his first major speech since Sir Keir announced he will step down, Mr Burnham vowed to set up a new No10 operation in Manchester to be the 'nerve centre of a rewired Britain'.
He also promised to oversee the 'biggest council house building program since the post-war period', and to allow regions to take 'greater public control of essential services' including water, energy and transport.
The proposals would bring about the 'biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen', Mr Burnham said, as he promised to overcome Whitehall's resistance to change.
'Let me say this very directly: the days of Whitehall fighting the devolution of power into the regions and nations are over for good,' he added.
In an attempt to reassure the markets that he would not hike borrowing and taxes to pay for his plans, Mr Burnham promised his measures would be based on 'the stability that comes from sound public finances' and 'the discipline of our current fiscal rules'.
But he acknowledged that taxpayer-funded support would be needed to deal with the cost-of-living pressures facing households.
Nigel Farage has demanded Mr Burnham call a general election if he succeeds Sir Keir in Downing Street
Kemi Badenoch has warned Britain faces a 'summer of chaos' while Mr Burnham works out what he wants to do and who he wants in his government.
Mr Farage has demanded Mr Burnham call a general election if he replaces Sir Keir in Downing Street, saying he will have 'no mandate whatsoever' if he enters No10 and that the public 'deserve a vote'.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has warned Britain faces a 'summer of chaos' while Mr Burnham works out what he wants to do and who he wants in his government.
She also said the economy was 'in limbo' while businesses waited to see what Mr Burnham would do.
During his speech on Monday, Mr Burnham appeared to dismiss the prospect of a snap general election as he insisted his plans were 'consistent' with Labour's 2024 manifesto.
This is despite him having previously demanded one when the Tories changed leaders while in power.
Mr Polanski has signalled he would be willing to co-operate or form a coalition with a Labour Government led by Mr Burnham.
But Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has dodged on whether his party may consider a coalition with Labour under Mr Burnham.
YouGov surveyed 2,437 British adults between 28 and 29 June.
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.'
