Sky News halted for breaking Starmer announcement – and it’s terrible for Andy Burnham

Sky News’ regular broadcast came to a halt on Wednesday. Keir Starmer faced his first Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) since he announced his resignation as Labour leader. On Monday, Starmer confirmed he would stay in post until his successor is chosen.

The outgoing prime minister was heckled by a Conservative MP as he was quizzed about Andy Burnham, who remains the frontrunner to become the next Labour leader. During an exchange in the House of Commons, Starmer remarked, “This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues.”

“With Andy?” the heckler was heard saying from the Conservative benches. The former Labour leader was met with further jibes aimed at the current PM about Burnham, as Starmer replied, “Not today!” in a blow to his potential successor.

Viewers reacted to the awkward moment, as one person mused: “Such a humiliation for Starmer.”

Another commented: “Nobody has any idea what Andy Burnham stands for, but are happy for him to be PM. This makes no sense.”

A third tweeted: “Classic PMQs drama. The hecklers always seem to know exactly which nerve to tick.”

“Not today indeed, Burnham stays on the bench,” another remarked.

The new Makerfield MP met with Starmer on Tuesday for the first time since his by-election victory and is set to receive briefings from civil servants on taking over as prime minister.

But the route he should take to get to No 10 remains up for debate, with some Labour MPs calling for a contest and others hoping for an “orderly transition”.

It has since been reported Burnham could move parts of his prime ministerial operation to Manchester in an attempt to address the UK’s regional inequality and move power out of Westminster.

The former Greater Manchester mayor would establish a “number 10 in the north” if he succeeds Starmer as prime minister, the Financial Times reports.