Senior Labor figures said Andy Burnham is one behind the party

The next leader of the Labor Party is united behind Andy Burnham, two senior party figures have told the BBC.

The party earlier this week set a timetable for a leadership contest following the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, but there is little evidence to support any contenders other than Burnham.

Former Defense Secretary Al Carnes said on Monday that Burnham’s economic policy speech will determine whether he will challenge him for the Labor leadership.

Labor deputy leader Lucy Powell and housing secretary Steve Reid, who have remained loyal to Sir Kiir, both said Labor MPs were backing Burnham’s crown over the competition.

Powell told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Queensberg programme: “I’m happy that we’re only going to have one candidate in Andy Burnham, which actually seems to be the case.”

“How refreshing that is – that the whole Labor Party has agreed on a new leader and we don’t have to go through a potentially damaging race this time around.

“Now we all need to get behind that leader and stop all the backbiting and bickering.”

Reid agreed that the party would “move quickly to unify behind Andy Burnham” without “turning inwards”, which is absolutely necessary.

While a general election is not necessary to replace a prime minister, calling one is seen as a test of the new prime minister’s popular support.

The Conservatives defeated Liz Truss in 2011. Powell was among the opposition who called for a general election in 2022 when he was forced to resign as prime minister.

But she denied it was hypocritical not to want to test a new Labor leader.

“I think we’re in a very special time since lease trust destroyed the economy,” she added. “People want us to go to work and make the change they want to see.”

Reid, for his part, said this time was very different as the Tories often changed leaders when they were in government.

He said he was backing Burnham, but insisted Labor owed Sir Keir a debt of gratitude.