Burnham best election hope for Labour, says top pollster

Andy Burnham represents Labour's best hope of keeping Nigel Farage out of No 10, Britain's leading pollster has warned, as well as asserting that Sir Keir Starmer “doesn’t have the skill set for Downing Street”.

- DAVID MADDOX

In a scathing assessment, Professor Sir John Curtice accused the prime minister of not having a vision for the country and said he does not believe Sir Keir can “learn to be a politician”.

The prime minister insisted yesterday that he will still be in post next year and warned leadership rivals that any moves to oust him would be a “gift” to Mr Farage and Reform UK.

But Sir John told The Independent he believes that only Greater Manchester mayor Mr Burnham has the support within the Labour Party, and appeal to the wider electorate, to be an effective replacement for the beleaguered prime minister, whose future appears increasingly uncertain.

However, he noted that the route back into Westminster is “very difficult” for Mr Burnham, because he would need to be elected as an MP.