No 10 leak reveals how Keir Starmer planned to stay in power as PM before stepping down

Questions raised whether Burnham is a ‘continuity PM’

Sky News revealed a massive leak on Thursday from Downing Street in how the former PM planned to stay in power, plans which eventually failed.

Andy Burnham became prime minister in July but questions have been raised whether he is more of a continuity PM, Sky News reports.

A copy of the core document from the leaked bundle is dated 23 April this year, just prior to the local elections.

The document contains around 50 ideas for the future and it was circulated around Downing Street and parts of the civil service, as per Sky News, which has posted the document in full.

Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham in Wolverhampton in May of 2024. Credit: Getty Images

What the leaked documents actually show

Of the 50 ideas that were studied by Sky News, following analysis of the document, 20 were announced by Starmer before his departure in July.

Meanwhile, six have already been announced by Burnham, with a further eight expected to be announced in weeks.

Neither prime minister, however, announced 16 more ideas worked up by Whitehall.

Based on the document leaks, it is also suggested former PM Starmer could re-launch himself with the public.

Part of the leaked document revealing the plans. Credit: Sky News

A list drawn up by his advisors of mistakes that Starmer’s administration has made and a new tone were included.

“We will make changes. Need to move from the politics of faction to the politics of project. Need to move from a politics of avoiding risk to a politics of ambitious optimism. Politics fit for the scale of the challenges”, one slide says.

Some of the people involved in drawing up the various presentations now work in Number 10 in the new government, according to Sky News.