The Prime Minister has ruled out calling an early general election, and has made the announcement as he prepares for his first Labour party conference as leader of the country.
Andy Burnham has finally made a decision on whether Brits will head to the polls early.
The Prime Minister has ruled out calling an early general election, and has made the announcement as he prepares for his first Labour party conference as leader of the country.
He said that he will “draw a line” under the rumours which are swirling as to whether the country will head to the ballot boxes early, saying that will not happen as he is instead focussing on helping the public to feel “a bit of hope in their lives” rather than a divisive electoral cycle.
Several media reports in recent days have suggested close advisers to the Prime Minister are weighing up the prospect of an election as early as next year. It follows polling which said Labour would remain the largest party – though short of a parliamentary majority – if a snap election were called.
A general election victory would allow the Prime Minister more room to set out his own agenda for governing the country, rather than being tied to promises in the 2024 manifesto which Sir Keir Starmer stood on.
But when asked by BBC West’s political editor Paul Barltrop whether he was tempted to call an election as they headed to Liverpool for the party conference, Mr Burnham replied: “Not particularly. No, I’m not.
“And I see all the speculation and it just races ahead. And, you know, the media love to do that. No, no election any time soon. I’m focused on the job as Prime Minister doing what I said I would do.
“I will lay out a big speech in Liverpool next week, which will say further about the direction I want to take the country in the coming period.
“The focus is on that: helping people with the cost of living, helping businesses with the costs of running a business.
“These have got to be the priorities right now rather than throwing the country into a backward-looking process where we are arguing again amongst ourselves.
“The time has come, draw a line, get the country looking forward, pulling together, people feeling a bit of hope in their lives again, that’s what I’m trying to do and I hope to take it further in the coming period rather than putting people back into an election cycle.”