Keir Starmer 'succession planning' in case he has to quit

The Labour leader has told allies he wants plans in place to ensure that his work rebuilding the party will not be at risk from a candidate on the left. 

He reportedly told friends: “I will not let this party become a basket case again. I will not let our hard-won gains be squandered so we will need to be ready in the unlikely event that the worst comes to the worst.”

But shadow levelling-up secretary, Lisa Nandy, who last month refused to rule herself out of a future leadership contest, said the story was "absolute nonsense".

Sir Keir is currently being investigated by police over a gathering of Labour activists in Durham last year. 

He and his deputy Angela Rayner were both present at the event where beer and curry were served.

Labour initially denied Ms Rayner was present, while Sir Keir said there had simply been a food break during the course of a long evening’s work.

However, the party later admitted Ms Rayner was present and a leaked memo showed the meal had been planned well in advance, and was due to last 80 minutes and form the conclusion to the work event.

At the time of the Durham gathering, non-essential retail and outdoor venues including pub gardens were open, but social distancing rules – which included a ban on indoor mixing between households – remained in place.

Sir Keir has said he will resign if fined by police. 

Labour confirmed on Friday that Sir Keir’s questionnaire had been sent to the force. 

One ally told the Sunday Times: “Keir has been engaging in some sensible succession planning but there is also suspicion in the shadow cabinet that a couple of people hope he gets fined so they can take over.”

Possible successors include Ms Nandy, shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting as well as Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham.

Ms Nandy told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday that the story was “absolute nonsense.” 

She added: “I’ve spoken to him twice in the last couple of days about how we persuade this Government to lift a finger to avert a crisis on the railways and about how we can reverse the huge cuts to local government funding.”

She added: “No, I’m not worried that he’s been talking to anybody about succession planning because I know that he’s been talking to all of us about how we rid this country of a Government that has held us back for the last 12 years and finally start to deliver for working people.

“That is the conversation that we’re having in the Labour Party at the moment, our eyes are not on the Labour Party.

“For too long we spent time debating the Labour Party; we care about the country, that’s what we’re in politics for and that’s what we’re discussing.”

Last week Sir Keir had to appeal to his frontbench colleagues to stop briefing the press that he was boring. 

Speaking to the BBC, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown said his successor should “ignore” his adrenaline-hungry critics. 

“What’s exciting about the possibility of Keir Starmer’s leadership is he will have a plan for Britain.

"He will show how we can get back growth. He will show how we can get living standards rising again, and he will show how we can have a fairer society that deals with problems like climate change.

“Kier Starmer was the Director of Public Prosecutions. He’s been a great public servant over many years, and I think he’ll make a great Prime Minister.”

If Sir Keir does resign then any candidate to replace him would need the support of 20 per cent of Labour MPs, which accounts for 39 parliamentarians.

They would also need the support of at least five per cent of Constituency Labour Parties or three affiliates, including two trade unions.

Anyone who makes it to the final stage would then be voted on by Labour Party members.

It is thought the result of Durham Police's investigation will be revealed at the end of the month, after by-elections in Tiverton and Wakefield.