Will Burnham bend to Labour members? Poll shows party's faithful prefer Miliband as Chancellor - but almost as many want Reeves to STAY... and a third want more benefits spending

By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 13:36, 7 July 2026 | Updated: 13:43, 7 July 2026 Labour members prefer Ed Miliband as Britain's next Chancellor when Andy Burnham becomes prime minister, according to a new poll. The YouGov survey revealed 21 per cent want the current Energy Secretary - known as 'Red Ed' - to be promoted to lead the Treasury. But the research, perhaps surprisingly, also found a similar proportion (20 per cent) back Rachel Reeves to remain in post as Chancellor under a Mr Burnham premiership. They were the only leading Labour figures to attract significant support to be Mr Burnham's Chancellor in the poll of party members. Nearly three in ten (28 per cent) said they didn't know who they wanted to be in the Treasury, while only 6 per cent backed former health secretary Wes Streeting. All other contenders to be Chancellor under Mr Burnham - who is almost certain to replace Keir Starmer as PM on 20 July - took 5 per cent of the vote or less. The results of the survey could increase fears about Labour lurching to the Left under Mr Burnham, if he attempts to appease his party's membership. The poll found nearly a third of Labour members want Mr Burnham to boost benefits spending, despite him recently saying he is not 'squeamish' about squeezing welfare. Labour members prefer Ed Miliband (pictured) as Britain's next Chancellor when Andy Burnham becomes prime minister, according to a new poll The results of the survey could increase fears about Labour lurching to the Left under Mr Burnham, if he attempts to appease his party's membership The YouGov survey revealed 21 per cent want the Energy Secretary - known as 'Red Ed' - to be promoted to lead the Treasury The YouGov research showed 35 per cent of Labour members want Mr Burnham to increase welfare spending as PM, compared to 27 per cent who want him to cut Britain's benefits bill. Some 34 per cent said Mr Burnham should maintain welfare spending at the current level. The backing for Mr Miliband to become Chancellor among Labour members comes despite criticism of his Net Zero agenda as Energy Secretary. Sharon Graham, the general secretary of the Unite trade union, recently warned Mr Burnham against promoting Mr Miliband to the Treasury and claimed such a move would be 'a noose around the neck' of job creation. She has previously branded Mr Miliband's ban on new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea as an 'act of self-harm'.  It has also recently emerged that senior officials in Donald Trump's administration have privately warned that appointing Mr Miliband as Chancellor would be a 'mistake'. Top US officials are reported to have told senior Labour figures they are also concerned about Mr Miliband's opposition to new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. The US President himself has frequently criticised Sir Keir in public for the Labour Government's stance on fossil fuels. It has been suggested that Ed might not be the only Miliband to secure a top role in Mr Burnham's Cabinet. There is speculation at Westminster that Ed's brother David might be drafted back into Government in his old job as foreign secretary. YouGov polled 752 Labour Party members between 25 June and 3 July.