Labour MP willing to sacrifice seat for candidate to oust PM as threshold hit to topple Keir Starmer
Labour MP Clive Lewis said he would be willing to sacrifice his seat to make room for Andy Burnham so he could challenge Sir Keir Starmer for leadership.
The Norwich South MP, who has made several comments criticising the Prime Minister’s leadership, was asked if he would make way for the Greater Manchester Mayor to become an MP.
“It’s a question I’ve asked myself, and I’d have to obviously consult with my wife as well, and family,” he told the BBC.
“But, do you know what, if I’m going to sit here and say ‘country before party, party before personal ambition’, then yes, I have to say yes don’t I.”
Clive Lewis (middle) said he would be willing to sacrifice his seat for Andy Burnham
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When pressed if he would give up his seat for Mr Burnham, he responded: “I would, yes.”
No10 has declined to comment.
It is however not the first time the Labour MP has suggested Mr Burnham should replace the Prime Minister.
Speaking to Channel 4 last week, he said: “I just don’t see how this can stagger on without any resolution on the horizon.
“I think the Labour Party, the Labour grandees, the men in grey suits, need to now really seriously think, how do we get Andy Burnham back into this parliamentary Labour Party and let him step up and become the next Prime Minister?”
“That’s my personal view.”
Sir Keir is also facing the threat of rebellion elsewhere in his party, as one MP warned patience is “wearing thin” with the Prime Minister.
Senior members of the soft-left Tribune Group are said to have gathered the 80 MPs needed to put forward a candidate to challenge his leadership.
According to The Times, one Labour MP in the group said: “It’s all about the polls.
“We can’t be below 20 per cent at the polls for much longer.”
The MP added that patience in the Labour Party was “wearing thin” with the Prime Minister.
A source close to the group confirmed it had the required numbers to put forward a candidate for a leadership challenge, the newspaper reports.
Sir Keir warned his Cabinet on Tuesday against “distractions” after days of Labour civil war and Budget leaks, Downing Street said.
The Prime Minister also issued a plea for unity following the extraordinary briefing spat last week suggesting Health Secretary Wes Streeting was plotting a leadership challenge.
His official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister opened Cabinet by setting out the importance of the Government’s mandate to renew the country.
“He said distractions meant our focus shifted from where it mattered most, working every day in service of the British people.”
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