‘He‘s a backbencher!’ Alex Armstrong clashes with Labour minister over Andy Burnham receiving No10 briefings

Alex Armstrong clashed with Labour Safeguarding Minister Catherine Atkinson after it emerged that Andy Burnham had attended secret face-to-face talks with Keir Starmer.

The outgoing Prime Minister is understood to have met with his likely successor “off-site” and away from Downing Street.

Sir Keir has also already authorised talks on access between Whitehall officials and those who could replace him in No10, including Mr Burnham.

Ms Atkinson defended the briefings, insisting they were part of the “smooth transition” of power.

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However, Alex raised concerns about what appeared to be premature privileges afforded to the former Manchester Mayor.

“Andy Burnham is a backbench MP. He's not been elected leader of the Labour Party. He's not been crowned,” the GB News host began.

“It seems to many people that the Government is just being run on vibes on a whim at the moment.

He stressed there was more to political authority than “whoever the most popular person is in your party”.

“Do you not see how that might look to the British public? That a man who was officially made an MP just a couple of days ago is now having briefings with the government and the Prime Minister.

“Do you not think that is a terrible look for your party?”

“Andy Burnham is an incredibly experienced politician. He was a Home Office Minister. He was a Treasury Minister,” Ms Atkinson responded.

“Who is he now? He's a backbench MP,” Alex interjected.

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The Safeguarding Minister insisted that Mr Burnham had shown his “ability to deliver” in his time as Manchester Mayor.

She then stressed that the briefings with his successors were evidence of Sir Keir “putting the country first”.

“He is ensuring that whoever decides to stand to be the leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister of this country is being given all of the assistance that they need to be able to ensure a smooth transition.

“That is what I want to see, and it means that we are absolutely continuing in delivering in Government.”

The Prime Minister told his Cabinet he wanted an “orderly transition”, and insisted he would try to make the process “as easy as possible” for his successor at a weekly meeting.

Downing Street also said no “major” new policy decisions or spending pledges would be made in the coming weeks, adding that Sir Keir would agree priorities with Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo in the coming days.

Asked whether the Prime Minister was concerned about the work of Government grinding to a halt during the transition process, his official spokesman said the “normal business of Government continues”.

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