Lewis Goodall Demolishes Labour Leadership Speculation

Presenter Lewis Goodall tore into a minister on LBC on Sunday over the ongoing Labour leadership speculation.

Speaking to work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden, the LBC host said it was “ridiculous” to see the government “in stasis” while waiting to see if a coup happens.

His words come as Labour and Reform battle it out in the Makerfield by-election in a crunch vote which could determine the next prime minister.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is the Labour candidate, and if he wins, he is likely to challenge Keir Starmer’s premiership.

Makerfield MP Josh Simons stood aside earlier this month just so Burnham had a path to parliament.

While a contest has not yet been formally declared, ex-health secretary Wes Streeting has made it clear he would join any leadership race.

General despair within Labour over its defeat in the May elections in England, Scotland and Wales means even if Burnham is unsuccessful, the party is expected to go into a state of civil war.

Goodall said to McFadden: “There was a lot of criticism from your party about the chaos the Tories inflicted upon us.

“Even the Tories didn’t do what you’re doing right now, did they?

“They didn’t orchestrate a by-election while the whole party turns around to the country and says, ‘hang on lads, hang on everybody, we’re just going to wait and see if this guy gets into parliament, we will probably get him to replace the prime minister, if he doesn’t we will probably all fall apart anyway, and in the meantime, the government’s all kind of in abeyance, in stasis.’

“This is ridiculous, isn’t it?”

The cabinet minister replied. “We have to remember that we are only two years into a five year parliament.

“I don’t think election victories fall from the sky. I think Keir Starmer’s had too little credit for winning the 2024 election.

“And so I do think it is important to look outward and not have a purely internal debate while the task of governing goes on.”

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