Burnham says there will be 'no election anytime soon' and the next vote will be 'in 2029 as he desperately tries to quell speculation

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 12:00 EDT, 25 September 2026 | Updated: 12:04 EDT, 25 September 2026 Andy Burnham today moved to quell mounting speculation he is plotting an early general election.The Prime Minister said he was 'not particularly' tempted to call a snap vote, despite polls showing Labour are ahead of Reform for the first time in months.Mr Burnham's political opponents have talked up the prospect of an election as early as December as he seeks to gain a fresh mandate for tax rises and spending increases.But a mayor analysis last night suggested if it happened Labour would lose its majority and plunge the country into the chaos of a hung parliament. Labour would be the largest party, according to YouGov, but be forced to seek a 'rainbow coalition' of centre left parties to govern.Asked about the speculation on a round of regional media interviews today, Mr Burnham told BBC West: 'I see all the speculation and it just races ahead. And, you know, the media love to do that. No, no election any time soon.'Later he went a step further telling ITV Calendar that 2029 is' when the next election will be'. Not running: The Prime Minister said he was 'not particularly' tempted to call a snap vote, despite polls showing Labour are ahead of Reform for the first time in months 'All of this speculation on an early election, I can I can knock that dead,' he continued. 'You know people want me, new in office, to be getting on with the job of delivering on the things that we've discussed in this interview rather than putting self-serving politics before that, which was what I would be doing if I call an election, I'm not going to do that.'There are concerns that the fevered rumours about an early election – furiously denied by No10 – could prove another unwanted distraction from Mr Burnham's plans.Labour has seen a poll bounce since Mr Burnham took over, and advocates of going to the country early argue that it could be the best chance of clinging on to power, with another inflation shockwave from the Middle East crisis about to hit. Labour insiders have warned that the persistent rumours could create a situation similar to that under Gordon Brown in 2007. Labour insiders have warned that the persistent rumours could create a situation similar to that under Gordon Brown in 2007The then-premier was badly damaged when he quashed rampant speculation about a snap election at Labour conference, having allowed it to build for months. He went on to lose the election in 2010.In contrast, Downing Street has been frantically trying to kill the idea that Mr Burnham will trigger an early poll. But one senior party source told the Daily Mail that the stage was 'definitely set for a rollercoaster of loose remarks and desperate rowing back' about an election. Another Labour veteran suggested the polls were still not good enough for Mr Burnham to act.'Two things can be true. Things can't get any better. And they still aren't good enough,' they said.In an interview with the New Statesman earlier this week, Mr Burnham said he would use conference to flesh out his vision of public control and devolution. 'People might say you get into government and you dial down. I don't feel like that. I won't be dialling it down, put it that way,' he said.Mr Burnham – who grew up in Liverpool and is a keen Everton fan – said returning to the city as PM would be a 'big thing'.'It's a moment to weave all of these threads together and to lay out the path, I think, and say, ''Look, Britain's here, we can be there'' – a much better place – but we're going to have to be honest with ourselves about what it takes to get from where we are right now to where we should be'. He added that 'people won't be in any doubt what I want to do with the job'.'This has to be a point where the country says, ''Right, we can't carry on like this, we need to set a new, clear direction, a new clear path.'''