Sir Keir Starmer has claimed he would have won a general election in 2029 had he remained Prime Minister, remarks made as he pointedly skipped the official confirmation of Andy Burnham as the new Labour leader. The comments highlight a rift within the party, with Starmer appearing keen to defend his record even after leaving Downing Street, while Burnham uses his first day in charge to distance Labour from the Starmer era.

Burnham was being formally installed as Labour leader on the day of the article, using the occasion to criticise the legacy of Thatcherism and argue Britain took "wrong turns" under successive Conservative governments, positioning himself to the left of his predecessor. Starmer's absence from the event and his insistence he could still have led Labour to victory suggest continuing tension between the outgoing leader and the party's new direction under Burnham.