Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is considering holding a snap general election if he becomes British prime minister, the Sun newspaper reported on Saturday, citing Labour insiders.He is also lining up British interior minister Shabana Mahmood to be his chancellor, the newspaper reported, adding that talks between Shabana's team and Burnham had been going on for a while.Former British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who said earlier this month that she has been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing over her tax affairs, is expected to be brought back into the Cabinet if Burnham succeeds in his leadership bid, the report said.Reuters could not immediately verify the report.Burnham, Rayner and Mahmood did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Burnham, seen as a challenger to embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer, would need to win the Makerfield seat near Manchester before launching any formal leadership challenge.RECOMMENDEDSTORIES FOR YOUAn election for a seat in Britain's parliament will take place on June 18, the local council in northern England said in a notice earlier this month. Starmer's Labour Party performed poorly in May local elections, triggering calls from a significant bloc of his lawmakers for him to quit.Many of those are looking to Burnham to revive the party's fortunes.
UK's Burnham weighs snap election if he becomes PM: Report
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is reportedly considering a snap general election if he becomes British Prime Minister. He is also lining up Shabana Mahmood as his chancellor. Angela Rayner is expected to return to the Cabinet. Burnham needs to win a seat before challenging the current leadership. Labour's recent local election performance has fueled calls for change.
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