Prime Minister Keir Starmer tells Labour staff says he's "focused on the job" and will support the party's Makerfield by-election candidate "whoever they are"
Nominations for the Labour candidate for the by-election close shortly - potential leadership challenger Andy Burnham has been cleared to put his name forward
If selected, he would need to win the election and secure the support of 81 Labour MPs before he can trigger a leadership contest
The prime minister has defied calls to step down in recent days, with more than 90 of his own MPs urging him to go
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said Starmer "fights on", and that it is time Labour "gets back on the pitch after days of introspection and infighting"
Andy Burnham is due to appear at the Great North Summit in Leeds shortly, where he is listed as a keynote speaker.
It remains to be seen whether he will attend, or if he will address the mounting leadership speculation surrounding him and his party.
If the Greater Manchester mayor does speak it will be the first time we've heard from him directly today.
Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent
We have not heard from Keir Starmer for a few days now and he spent the weekend at Chequers at the end of a bruising week which has put his premiership in greater peril than ever before.
This morning, the prime minister visited Labour headquarters to thank party officials for their work in the local and national elections, and one key passage gives us a clue to what he will say when we next see him on camera.
He told the staff: “I am focused on the job that I was asked to do, which is to serve my country and to carry out my duties as Prime Minister of this country.
"Delivering for the very many people who voted us into office, who are saying, ‘just get on with it, get on with the job, get on with the change that I need to see in my life’. And that is what I am going to be doing."
In other words, he is not setting a timetable for his departure. All the signs from last week are that the prime minister intends to fight as hard as possible to stay in office, and that is continuing into this week for now.
Image source, Getty ImagesAway from the politics, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its forecast for the UK's growth this year, but warned the Iran war and "domestic uncertainty" could hit the economy.
The growth estimate has been upgraded to 1% from 0.8% for 2026 by the influential body, which said last month that the UK would be hit hardest by the Iran war among the world's advanced economies.
In its latest forecast, it said the UK "remained resilient" but added a prolonged conflict in the Middle East risked hitting growth and resulting in "higher energy and food prices".
"Domestic uncertainty could also add to the already volatile global environment, holding back consumption and investment decisions," it added.
You can read more on the outlook for the British economy here.
Image source, Getty ImagesSo far, no Labour leadership contest has been triggered - to do so would require one challenger with the backing of at least 81 Labour MPs.
More now on Starmer's address to Labour staff, where the prime minister addressed "really tough" losses suffered by the party in the local elections earlier this month.
He says Labour has got the economy into a "good position" despite inheriting a "real basket case" from the Conservatives, calling last week's growth figures the "best in the G7".
He also highlights investment in the NHS and efforts to reduce child poverty.
But he says the government needs to act with greater "urgency" because people "don’t feel that their lives have changed quickly enough".
On his own position, he says: "I am focused on the job that I was asked to do, which is to serve my country and to carry out my duties as prime minister."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he will "one hundred per cent" support Labour's candidate in the Makerfield by-election "whoever they are", with Andy Burnham eyeing a return to Westminster.
The Greater Manchester mayor has approval from Labour's ruling body to participate in the selection process, with formal nominations set to close at noon today.
In a speech to Labour Party staff, Starmer says the by-election will be a case of "Labour versus Reform".
He adds that he wants "every member, everyone in our movement" to support whichever candidate is selected.
"A Labour candidate to beat Reform. That is the fight that we are in," he adds.
We'll have more comments from Starmer shortly.
As expected, Josh Simons has formally stepped down as Makerfield MP after announcing his intention to do so last week, triggering a by-election.
Andy Burnham has already announced his ambition to stand in the seat.
No date has been set yet but the by-election is expected to be held on 18 June.
Image source, Getty ImagesLabour MPs are bracing themselves for a possible leadership contest that's likely to be divisive.
Two elected in the East of England in 2024 have been speaking to the BBC's Politics East programme.
South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy says carrying on in the same way could result in a "defeat at the next election, which Reform UK could win".
"We want a better vision and we need to articulate it better," he says, calling for Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure.
But Ipswich MP Jack Abbott is supportive of the PM and says he is "embarrassed" over turmoil in the in party in recent days.
He says the election results were "terrible" but now is the time to "pull together" rather than "tear[ing] each other apart".
Listeners are sharing their opinions on BBC Radio 5 Live's Nicky Campbell programme this morning about whether Labour should take the country back into Europe.
Steve in Plymouth believes "anyone in power should take us back in", saying the country didn't get what it was promised with Brexit.
"It is harder to do trade with our largest trading partner, the security situation has changed radically," he says. "There was a case made for Brexit, I voted on that case - 10 years further on, I don’t think the world of 2026 is the world of 2016."
Suzanne near Plymouth questions whether Europe would allow the UK to rejoin, or what terms they would insist on, after the UK left with "a great deal of fuss".
She says Wes Streeting's decision to set out an explicitly pro-EU platform was designed to "undermine" Andy Burnham, calling it "incredibly Machiavellian" - but adding "that political ambition that is so out there, is quite sickening".
Image source, PA MediaKeir Starmer pledged to put Britain 'at the heart of Europe' in a speech last week
The UK government and the EU held their first joint summit since Brexit in May 2025, where they outlined a new UK-EU strategic partnership billed as a "reset" in relations.
Another summit is expected later this summer, and last week Keir Starmer emphasised his government "will be defined by rebuilding our relationship with Europe". This is where ties have been strengthened so far:
Studying abroad: The UK will rejoin the Erasmus study scheme from 2027, allowing UK nationals to spend a year studying at European universities as part of degree courses without paying extra fees - and vice versa for European students.
Fishing: EU boats were given continued access to UK waters until 2038, with the UK continuing to agree yearly quotas and issue licences to control who fishes in its waters.
Farming exports: In return for extending current fishing rules, the UK has secured a deal to reduce checks on food exports to the EU - meaning the vast majority of checks on animal and plant shipments to and from the EU are dropped.
Defence and security: A formal UK-EU defence and security pact has been established - with officials to meet every six months to discuss defence and foreign policy.
Passport e-gates: British holidaymakers will be able to use e-gates at more European airports. Each EU country will decide if UK citizens can use e-gates at its ports but the government has promised to work to expand access "as soon as possible".
As it stands, there is no Labour leadership contest but we know that Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham - if he can get elected to Parliament - will run against the prime minister in the event there is one. Here is what we know for sure now:
Image source, Getty ImagesAway from leadership speculation and debate over Brexit, the government is reportedly considering reversing a planned change to fuel duty.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves may scrap a 5p increase that was set to come into force from September, according to the Times, external.
A reduced tax rate for petrol and diesel was first introduced by the Conservative government after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine pushed prices up in 2022.
Under Labour's Budget, that reduction was to be phased out from September, with fuel duty initially increasing by 1p per litre, followed by a further 2p in December and another 2p in March 2027.
However, with concerns mounting over fuel prices due to the Iran war, the Times reports that Reeves will announce on Thursday those plans have been shelved.
Image source, Getty Images
Makerfield in north-west England finds itself at the centre of the battle to lead the Labour Party and country, with Andy Burnham seeking to stand in the by-election there - and eventually challenge for No 10.
The constituency of around 100,000 people is made up of suburbs in the south of Wigan and the town of Ashton-in-Makerfield.
Labour has traditionally dominated in Makerfield and won it again in 2024 with 45.2% of the vote.
But Reform UK ran the party fairly close in that election, coming second on 31.8%, about 5,400 votes short of a win.
Earlier this month, Nigel Farage's party took around 50% of the vote share in the region during local election, suggesting it could make the upcoming by-election in Makerfield tight.
In the 2016 referendum, 65% of people in Makerfield voted for Brexit, so Reform will hope to make the upcoming by-election close regardless of whether or not Burnham is Labour's candidate.
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Health Secretary Wes Streeting branded Brexit a "catastrophic mistake" on the weekend
Following Labour's poor local election results, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he wanted his government to be "defined" by "rebuilding our relationship with Europe, by putting Britain at the heart of Europe", during a speech intended to reset his premiership.
After his resignation, Wes Streeting went further, saying on Saturday that Brexit was a "catastrophic mistake" that left the UK "less wealthy, less powerful and less in control".
The former health secretary said the UK needs a "new special relationship with the EU", adding that "Britain's future lies with Europe - and one day, back in the European Union".
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy thentold Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that Streeting's comments were "a bit odd" and that she doesn't "understand why the sudden focus on Europe" - despite agreeing the UK should not have left the EU.
Later that day, Andy Burnham said he was in favour of rejoining the EU "in the long-term", but that he is "not advocating that in this by-election".
Earlier this morning, David Lammy said the Brexit delivered by "Boris Johnson and his cronies" left the UK "poorer as a result" and said the government is making "step-by-step" improvement to reconnect with Europe - but will stick to its "red lines" not to to return to the single market, customs union or freedom of movement.
Over on BBC Radio 5 Live, callers are being asked: Should Labour take us back into the EU? You can watch live at the top of this page.
Image source, ReutersBurnham in the stands at Hill Dickinson Stadium yesterday
We have not heard from Andy Burnham today - but the Greater Manchester mayor did tweet last night.
After watching the Everton-Sunderland match, which Everton lost 1-3, he thanks "everyone who came up to speak to me today".
He says the one bit of feedback that "sticks most" in his mind is: "You need to be clearer that Labour left us. We didn’t leave Labour."
He says his "campaign" will aim to "change Labour back to the party people used to know" - a party "solidly on the side of working class people. Make no mistake about that".
He also says: "Appreciate all the advice and agree with the main consensus: 'Get new running shorts'."
Image source, PA MediaBurnham was pictured running near his home in Cheshire on Friday
Asked why there is currently no timetable for Stamer to step down, Lammy says the prime minister won a "historic majority" in the 2024 election, adding: "Let me say this - personally, he is the most resilient person I know."
Asked explicitly if Starmer will stand if a leadership contest is triggered, Lammy says "yes", before repeating that there is no race as things stand.
He says that "introspection and internecine warfare" and "colleagues lighting the match and standing in the petrol" will only "usher in" Reform UK and Nigel Farage.
Lammy repeats that Burnham and Streeting are free to state their positions on Europe as neither are in government, likening the recent discussions around future EU membership as "sixth form debate".
The deputy prime minister says leadership speculation over the last 10 days doesn't set back Labour's attempts to stay in power and deliver for the people, adding he's less interested in debate, and more on delivering policies.
But he says he would campaign for Burnham in the Makerfield by-election, telling Radio 4: "I've known Andy for over 25 years, we were both protegees under the great Tessa Jowell. He's very able, very committed, of course I'll be working alongside him."
Lammy is asked about Streeting's view that Britain's future lies "one day back in the European Union" and whether a similar position is on the cards for the government.
The deputy prime minister repeats that Streeting is "free to say whatever he wants" as a backbencher, but refuses to be drawn on his own views about Labour's future Europe policy.
He says Labour's manifesto had "clear red lines" on the EU and the government is "committed" to them - adding that he won't speculate about what the party may propose at the next general election.
