Andy Burnham live: PM-in-waiting to become Labour leader as Starmer says he can win next election

Mirror Political Correspondent Sophie Huskisson here…

While Andy Burnham is expected to become Labour leader today, he won’t become PM until Monday. We’re likely not going to find out who is in his Cabinet until after he enters Downing Street – which means more days, hours and minutes of speculation over who is in his top team.

The role most spoken about is the Chancellor: Who will replace Rachel Reeves in the Treasury?

Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary and former Labour leader, had been widely tipped to take her place. That is, until this week. Shabana Mahmood, the current Home Secretary, is now the name on everybody’s lips. But she’s quickly facing the same pushback Mr Miliband did.

When he was the frontrunner, the Energy Secretary – who is considered on the left of the party – faced constant briefings from MPs, unions and businesses who feared his direction at the Treasury. Tensions with unions over his net zero agenda exploded, with Unite’s Sharon Graham warning Mr Miliband’s appointment “would be a noose around the neck” of job creation.

Rumours suggest Mr Burnham is getting cold feet over putting Mr Miliband in the Treasury amid fears he’ll become a lightning rod for criticism during his premiership. But, conveniently, Ms Mahmood is facing her own briefing wars now she is in the spotlight.

Reports swirled this morning that Mr Burnham could face a revolt from MPs on the Labour left over fears Ms Mahmood – who has faced strong criticism from some in her party over her hardline immigration reforms – lacks an economic vision.

“Shabana has no sense of the economics,” one senior Burnham ally told The Times. Another Labour MP said: “It’s baffling a lot of people because nobody knows what her views are on the economy.”

Mr Burnham’s team has insisted the PM-in-waiting is still making decisions about who he wants in his top team. Sometimes dripping possible Cabinet names out there into the world is part of a strategy to test the waters. Though sometimes, it’s definitely not.