Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out calling a snap general election after recent polling suggested Labour would lose its parliamentary majority. The decision ends speculation that he might seek a personal mandate after becoming prime minister through a Labour leadership change, and is intended to prevent the issue overshadowing the party’s annual conference in Liverpool.

A YouGov projection put Labour on 241 seats, ahead of the Conservatives on 130 and Reform on 123, with the Liberal Democrats on 71 and the Greens on nine. Critics, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform leader Nigel Farage, accused Burnham of abandoning the idea when the polls turned against him, while Labour allies said an early election would be unnecessary and risky. Burnham said the next election would be held in 2029 and indicated that his conference agenda would include plans for greater public control of the water industry.