Readers can vote in our online poll on whether they think former Labour leader would do a good job at the Treasury
Speculation is high that Ed Miliband could be the next chancellor (Image: Getty)
Ed Miliband is at the centre of speculation over who Andy Burnham will appoint as chancellor. Britain’s likely next prime minister is reportedly yet to settle on his choice as chancellor, but rumours have focused on the Energy Secretary.
Other potential names include former health secretary Wes Streeting, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. Mr Miliband is seen as a risky choice because of his support for expensive net zero policies and Left-wing agenda.
Andy Burnham is on course for 10 Downing Street (Image: Getty)
But his allies argue he is the only candidate with the experience and vision needed to turn the economy around.
Unite chief Sharon Graham has claimed Mr Miliband would put a “noose” around job creation.
Meanwhile, Iceland boss and Labour peer Lord Walker warned he would be a “disaster” as chancellor.
He told BBC Newsnight: “Climate change is real. I believe in science. But I think how we’re going about it is far too ideological. I think it’s putting unfair pressure on households and on bill payers in a very regressive way.
“I think if Ed were to come in, it would be baulked at by the business communities, the markets would freak out.”
The Prime Minister’s right-hand man Darren Jones appeared to suggest the former party leader would not meet his “tests” to run the Treasury.
He said any new chancellor should not seek to “control” the prime minister, and would have to reassure markets, unions, MPs and the public – declining to say whether he thought Mr Miliband met those criteria.
But Mr Miliband has been backed by a series of unions including Unison.
It comes as Rachel Reeves is expected to be sacked by Mr Burnham or demoted to a more junior role.