A suspended Labour MP has told GB News he is “delighted” by Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation, paving the way for Andy Burnham’s leadership bid.
Speaking to host Martin Daubney, Independent MP Karl Turner said the outgoing Prime Minister has “done the right thing” after a “poor” two years in office.
Earlier today, Sir Keir announced his resignation and set out a timetable for his Downing Street departure.
He declared that “every decision” he has taken “has been about putting the country I love first”.
He said: “When I leave the biggest job in the country, I shall spend more time on the most important job, being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife Vic, who has been a rock by my side through good times and bad, and being the best dad I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and my joy.”
Reacting to Sir Keir’s resignation, Mr Turner told GB News: “I’m delighted that Keir has done the right thing and resigned as the leader of the Labour Party, with a view to standing down as Prime Minister at a time when the Labour Party chooses a new leader, whoever that might be.
“I suspect at the moment it’s going to be Andy Burnham, so of course I’m happy.”
Questioned by Martin on whether a Parliamentary return is on the cards for him, Mr Turner revealed that he has already spoken personally with Mr Burnham.
Karl Turner has backed Andy Burnham’s leadership bid as he says he is ‘delighted’ that Keir Starmer did the right thing
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GB NEWS / PA
Mr Turner revealed: “I’ve had conversations with Andy Burnham over the weeks and months and he’s made it clear to me.
“In fact, he told me directly, it was unsolicited as well that he would have me back in the fold in a heartbeat.”
Challenged on whether there should be a general election by Martin, Mr Turner admitted to being one of the Labour MP’s who called for a general election in 2022.
He told GB News: “I’ve got to tell you, and I was one of them, to be honest, yu could look at my tweeting at the time and I would say we need a general election, it’s not democratic.
Andy Burnham was sworn is as MP for Makerfield this afternoon | PA
“The truth is, we live in a parliamentary democracy, it’s not a presidential system, and it has got the right to govern because we won in 2024.”
He continued: “But I’ll say this, if Burnham doesn’t sort it out, and if Burnham doesn’t prove to the electorate that were worthy, I think it’s inevitable that we get to a position where the country wants us out, and if we don’t go to the country and be kicked out, we’ll be kicked out at the general election in 2029, if that’s when it happens.
“But you dead right. I mean, it’s hypocritical, isn’t it, of MPs like me to be saying it about the Tories, when in fact it’s now Andy Burnham. It’s just hypocritical.”
Asked whether he is aware of any of Mr Burnham’s policies, the Independent MP urged Mr Burnham to set out his intentions over the next few weeks.
Mr Turner told GB News that he is ‘delighted’ that Sir Keir has ‘done the right thing’
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GB NEWS
He said: “The electorate knew that he was going to be coming in there today with a view to being the Prime Minister, but it wasn’t an election to talk about his planning for Government, that comes now, I think.
“And I think it is fair that he has to set out what he’s intending to do in the next four or five weeks in order for the electorate to have some confidence that he has a plan.”
Asked whether he will miss Sir Keir, Mr Turner jibed: “On a personal level, I’m sorry for him, but I’m not that sympathetic because actually, his management of the Labour Party and his leadership was just very poor.
“At times I’d have preferred my dog Charlie to be running the country than Keir Starmer, but so tragic it got for me and I’m not making it up, it was desperate.”