'Difficult' to see Starmer as Labour leader at next election 'if we carry on like this', says Liverpool mayor

Steve Rotheram has said the party will "have to reassess” who is best to lead the party closer to the election, amid questions over whether Sir Keir is up for the job.

Speaking to LBC's Lewis Goodall on Sunday, Mr Rotheram said Sir Keir's future as leader "depends" on the progress they make.

He said: "This has been the difficult period and any prime minister would have faced all of those hurdles that the Labour governments have had. If we carry on like this, then it's going to be difficult, isn't it?

"Because if we start to enter the sort of the campaign towards the 2029 election and we're miles behind, then we'd have to reassess who would be best to lead us.

"But at this moment in time, yes, Keir Starmer should lead us into that election as we move out of this first phase of a Labour government into the delivery phase, because I think that's the most important part."

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He added that any leader needs to show that they're the right person when an election is called, and noted that they still have a few years left yet.

“So, if we start to see the progress and hope restored to the electorate, then of course, he would be the ideal person to lead us into that election," he said.

"In other words, we need the government to get on and deliver, and whilst they're doing that, we as metro mayors will get on and deliver in our areas."

Asked whether he thinks Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham would be a better party leader, Mr Rotheram said: “Well, he's my best mate, so I always think that my mates can do a better job than anyone because they're my mates, whether it's playing football or politics.

"But we've got a prime minister at the moment and we're supporting - both of us are supporting - Keir Starmer as our prime minister and we want the Labour Party to do well.”

Questions over Sir Keir's future come after Mr Burnham said MPs are privately urging him to challenge the prime minister for the Labour leadership.

The Manchester Mayor accused Downing Street of creating a “climate of fear” and said “wholesale change” was required to see off an “existential” threat to the ruling party.

He set out his vision for how to “turn the country around”, including higher council tax on some homes in southern England and a 50p top rate of income tax, in an interview with the Telegraph.

Mr Burnham said there was a “huge underpayment of tax that should now be corrected” in London and the South East because the rates were based on property valuations from 1991.

However, the former New Labour minister and ex-MP for Leigh, insisted he is not plotting an immediate return to the Commons or wanting to step on the government’s toes as it seeks a reset at the Labour Party conference.