Desperate Keir Starmer hinted he will try to buy off Andy Burnham with a Cabinet job today as he tries to cling on in No10.

The PM praised Mr Burnham as a 'fantastic asset' and said he wanted him to have a 'big role' in Government if he wins the Makerfield by-election tomorrow.

Sir Keir also attempted to delay the prospect of a leadership challenge, suggesting Labour would need to focus on a contest to replace Mr Burnham as Greater Manchester Mayor. That could potentially take months.

However, despite vowing he will not walk away the premier - in France for the G7 summit - is facing an increasing clamour for change at the top of the party.  

There are claims that Ed Miliband is ready to resign next week to force Sir Keir out if he refuses to go quietly.

The Net Zero Secretary has been tipped to join allies of Mr Burnham in walking out of Government.

Wes Streeting has said he will mount a formal challenge if Sir Keir does not quit voluntarily by Monday. 

In a round of interviews at the summit, Sir Keir told Sky News: 'Andy is a great asset. And, yes, I want him to have a big role in government.'

He added: 'I'm sure I'll talk to Andy after the weekend, of course I will. I've spoken to him many times in recent weeks. 

'And when I came into politics in 2015, it was Andy Burnham's team that I joined, and we worked very well together. 

'He's a huge asset. He's been a fantastic mayor in Manchester. And if he comes back into Parliament, I hope he wins in the by-election. He'll be a fantastic asset for our party and for the country.'

Sir Keir suggested Andy Burnham can't move against him if he wins in Makerfield until the Manchester mayoral election is out of the way.

He told Channel 4: 'As soon as the by election is over, we've then got a Manchester mayoralty to fight because that immediately is a huge by-election up in the northwest.

'So if Andy Burnham [wins], the focus I think of the whole party will have to go to the Manchester mayorality because that will come up within weeks.'

Tensions have been running high between Sir Keir and Mr Miliband, with rumours he is angling to be Chancellor in a Burnham government. 

The Cabinet minister told the PM privately some time ago that he should lay out a departure timetable. 

Mr Miliband apparently 'ghosted' the PM's phone calls as the defence funding meltdown developed last week.

The former leader resisted demands for cuts to his Net Zero budgets that would have helped free up cash for the military.

In more evidence of friction, Sir Keir has overruled Mr Miliband by moving to loosen rules on what proportion of new sales must be electric cars by 2030.