Prime Minister was right to rule out calling early election as public 'needs to know this country is going places', minister tells LBC
It comes after Andy Burnham stated he would still be PM by 2029, when the next general election is due
Andy Burnham was right to rule out calling an early general election because the British public "needs to know that this country is turning a corner and going places", the Culture Secretary has said.
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The Prime Minister is gearing up for his first party conference starting in Liverpool this weekend, with the next test of public opinion at the ballot box not scheduled until 2029 after Labour's 2024 win.
Mr Burnham said he wanted to "draw a line" and focus on helping the public feel "a bit of hope in their lives", rather than begin another divisive electoral cycle.
Backing up her boss, Lisa Nandy told LBC that the government's focus needs to remain helping the "people of this country".
Ms Nandy told Weekend Breakfast with Matthew Wright: "I don't think he should [call an early election], because he and I see exactly the same thing in our constituency surgeries every week.
"We see people who have been struggling for a very long time.
"We promised them change in 2024, and we've provided them with some breathing space.
"They need to know that this country is turning a corner, that we're going places, that they'll be part of it, that they'll feel the benefit of it.
"Andy is determined to deliver that, and that's our job.
"Our job is not to have our eye on the Labour Party. Our eye is very firmly on the people of this country, and we can do to help them succeed."
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 asked whether he was tempted to call an election, Mr Burnham replied: "Not particularly. No, I'm not.
“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."
Asked if the next election would be in 2029, the Prime Minister replied: "Yes, that’s when the next election will be.
"All of this speculation on an early election, I can knock that dead."
Mr Burnham is due to give a speech at the conference on Tuesday, which he hopes will set out the guiding purpose for the rest of Labour’s term in power.