Nigel Farage has called for a fresh General Election, claiming Andy Burnham could be on course to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
Speaking to GB News, the Reform UK leader said the former Manchester Mayor would have “no mandate whatsoever” to run the country and accused him of “flip-flopping” on key issues.
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer announced his decision to step down as Labour leader, while Mr Burnham returned to Westminster after a decisive victory in the Makerfield by-election.
Mr Farage argued that even with backing from Labour MPs and figures like Wes Streeting, Mr Burnham would still lack public consent.
“If he does become Prime Minister, he’ll do so with no mandate whatsoever. No mandate whatsoever,” he said.
He added that the public were “fed up” with what he described as a “game of musical chairs” in Downing Street and deserved an election.
Comparing Mr Burnham to other city leaders, Mr Farage said mayors often succeed because they focus on local, ceremonial duties rather than national decision-making.
“Politicians have to take positions. At the moment, we’ve got almost no idea where he stands on anything,” he said.
“He’s flipped and flopped in the last month more than Keir Starmer has in the last two years.”
He also urged other Labour figures to challenge Mr Burnham for the leadership, suggesting a contest would clarify his political stance.
“I’m hoping someone stands against him so we can actually see what he stands for. At the moment, we haven’t got a clue,” he added.
Looking ahead, Mr Farage said Reform UK would be ready for a General Election if one were called.
“We’ve got a couple of thousand candidates going through the process. We can be ready very, very quickly,” he said.
He also claimed Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch would prefer to avoid an election, suggesting her comments on a possible vote were “dressed up”.
“She knows the Conservative Party would be obliterated if there were an election tomorrow,” Mr Farage said.
