Rachel has welcomed the resignation of the Prime Minister, and has backed Andy Burnham to be the next Prime Minister. In a statement she said:
“One month ago, following devastating local election results I called for the Prime Minister to step aside and for there to be an orderly transition to new leadership.
As the MP for North Warwickshire and Bedworth my first and only duty is to my constituents. It was clear from the hundreds of conversations I have had on the doorstep recently that people in our area had lost faith in the Prime Minister’s leadership and believed there needed to be a change.
I welcome the fact that the Prime Minister has reflected on what Labour MPs like me have told him, and has announced his resignation. In doing so, Keir Starmer has put the country first – as he always has done.
The Prime Minister leaves office with significant achievements to his name. From slashing NHS waiting lists and stabilising the economy to taking action on illegal migration, there is much that he can be proud of. I want to pay tribute to those achievements, and to the way he turned around the Labour Party and put us back in the service of the country again.
I know many people will want to know who I will be supporting to be our next Prime Minister. During the recent by-election campaign, I visited Makerfield – an area that has much in common with North Warwickshire and Bedworth. Both are semi-rural former industrial communities made up of small towns, where people feel disconnected from the prosperity enjoyed nearby and let down by successive governments.
On the doorstep in Makerfield, I met people who were concerned about the cost of living and illegal migration, and who feel that the system is stacked against those who work hard and play by the rules – the kinds of conversations I have had many times with voters in our area.
Many people I spoke to in Makerfield voted Reform at the local elections because they are angry about the state of the country, but chose to support Andy Burnham because they believed his record as Mayor of Greater Manchester, together with his message of hope, fairness and unity, offered the kind of change they wanted to see.
A change of leader alone will not solve the deep-rooted challenges facing our country. But I have consistently argued that Labour must be bolder in delivering the change people are crying out for, particularly in towns and communities like Makerfield and North Warwickshire and Bedworth that have been overlooked and left behind.
Andy Burnham offers that sense of purpose and hope that people want to see for our country, which is why he has my support in the upcoming leadership contest.
Now a contest has been announced, I hope my Labour colleagues in parliament can unite behind Andy, so we can quickly establish a new Government and continue to focus on driving the change Labour was elected to deliver.”