Starmer expected to announce exit plan that will clear way for Burnham to become PM

The prime minister spent the weekend at the Chequers country retreat finalising a likely exit plan. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images View image in fullscreen The prime minister spent the weekend at the Chequers country retreat finalising a likely exit plan. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images Starmer expected to announce exit plan that will clear way for Burnham to become PM Ministers say Starmer will set out his intentions on Monday morning with an autumn departure the most likely option Keir Starmer is expected to announce a timetable for his departure on Monday morning, clearing the way for Andy Burnham to become prime minister without a formal contest by the autumn. Cabinet ministers say Starmer will set out his intentions outside Downing Street on Monday morning, starting a process that will end with the UK installing its seventh prime minister in a decade. No 10 officials were still insisting Starmer stood by his pledge on Friday to fight an anticipated leadership challenge from Burnham, who returned to Westminster via an overwhelming win in the Makerfield byelection. But with more than half a dozen cabinet ministers having privately told Starmer his time is up – and the additional pressure of a hostile cabinet meeting on Tuesday – the prime minister spent the weekend at the Chequers country retreat finalising a likely exit plan. Transition timetable: what a Starmer autumn handover could look like Read more While other options remained open, Starmer and his inner circle began work on drafts of a resignation speech on Saturday, with the most likely timetable involving him staying in office until the autumn, allowing a new leader to rally Labour troops at the party’s annual conference at the end of September. It is understood that he will do so having had no discussion with Burnham about his plan since the Makerfield result. “Logically the best thing for both Andy and Keir would be for that to happen in September,” one cabinet minister said. “Andy has no team ready to go into Downing Street and needs the time to prepare. It would also allow Keir to establish a flight path to his departure.” One obvious uncertainty is whether Burnham would be the only candidate, allowing an effective coronation, or if other challengers will emerge and gain the necessary support. View image in fullscreen Even late last week, some friends of Starmer believed it was hugely presumptuous for Burnham (pictured) and his team to expect him to step aside. Photograph: Jon Super/AP Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary last month amid efforts to push Starmer to quit, said last week he would stand in any contest and had the necessary backing of 81 MPs to do so, with allies saying over the weekend that this was still the plan. Some MPs say they would welcome a contest to allow Burnham’s platform to be tested. There is, however, an increasing presumption that Streeting will not compete, either because he does not have the MPs needed or because he would almost certainly lose