Norwich South MP Clive Lewis has said he would be prepared to give up his seat to allow Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to return to Parliament.
Burnham has been touted as a potential successor to Keir Starmer as Labour leader, but would be prevented from standing in such a contest as he is not currently a Member of Parliament.
Lewis, who became the first Labour MP to call for Starmer to stand aside, told BBC’s Politics Live that he would be prepared to put “country before party, party before personal ambition” and stand down to allow Burnham to return to the Commons.
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He told Vicky Young: “I don’t think it’s a secret in Westminster that it’s not going well. It’s a very difficult situation we find ourselves in. Don’t take my word for it – the Institute for Government has brought out a scathing report for a lack of preparation going in.
“There’s also another part of the story which is some of the deeply destructive, hyper-sectarian politics inside the Labour Party, post Jeremy Corbyn, where people were more interested in destroying the left rather than thinking about a programme for government.
“I have grave concerns for what comes after. If someone isn’t up to the job, then it’s up to the party and that individual to put country before party and to think about how do we stabilise this situation. If people don’t have faith and confidence in the person who is meant to be coordinating that, then you’ve got a problem.
“At the same time, simply jumping off a cliff edge and saying I had my go, isn’t the answer. You need someone with a vision, with the confidence of the British public, MPs, that can run a large organisation, has government experience – and those people are few and far between.”
Lewis earlier this week said that Burnham should be the next party leader and Prime Minister and, when asked by Young, whether he would be prepared to give up his Norwich South seat for him, he said: “It’s a question I’ve asked myself, and I’d obviously have to consult my wife and family as well – but you know what, if I’m going to say country before party, party before personal ambition, then I have to say yes don’t I? I would, yeah.”
It comes after Downing Street sources briefed journalists that Wes Streeting was plotting a leadership challenge against the Prime Minister, with Starmer telling the Mirror that he will contest the next election as Labour leader.
Lewis himself briefly stood to become party leader in 2020, but withdrew from the contest after failing to receive nominations from the required number of MPs.
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