A senior Labour cabinet minister has ruled out making a bid for party leader as returning MP Andy Burnham took another big step towards becoming Britain's next PM.
Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the PM and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said on Wednesday that he would not mount a leadership challenge.
"Andy Burnham is going to be the next prime minister," Jones told Sky News. "If there was a contest with Labour Party ministers, he would win".
"The question for me is, what would the benefit be to the country and to the party of a leadership contest," he added.
Jones, a staunch ally of outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, had reportedly been urged by some Labour MPs to run against Burnham, with some noting concerns over the latter's economic policy.
