Rachel Reeves backed Andy Burnham to become PM today – even though he is expected to ignore her pleas to be kept on as Chancellor.

Ms Reeves said she believed the former Greater Manchester Mayor will be 'great' in No10 as he closes in on taking power from Keir Starmer.

The Cabinet minister's allies have spent weeks desperately trying to persuade Mr Burnham not to oust her from the Treasury.

Ms Reeves skipped Sir Keir resignation statement in Downing Street on Monday morning, but made an awkward appearance in a 'mass selfie' of Labour MPs with Mr Burnham that afternoon.

Advisers have reportedly been ringing round businesses urging them to lobby the incoming premier over the need for 'stability'.

However, Mr Burnham's allies have been briefing heavily that Ms Reeves will be replaced, with Ed Miliband seen as the favourite despite alarm at his 'Soviet' economic views and Net Zero obsession.

In an interview with the BBC, Ms Reeves would not be drawn on suggestions she will be offered another more junior role.

'I'm not going to pre-empt the decisions that the new prime minister will make,' she said. 'I'm backing Andy.

'I think he'd be a great prime minister, but those are his decisions, not mine to make.'

Yesterday Darren Jones – another Cabinet minister previously seen as a Starmer loyalist - appeared to tout himself for the No11 job, suggesting Mr Miliband would not meet 'tests' for a new chancellor.

Mr Jones said any Chancellor should not seek to 'control' the prime minister, and would have to 'reassure' markets, trade unions, MPs and the public – and he declined to say whether he thought Mr Miliband passed those 'tests'.

Ms Reeves added that 'no one could doubt' her commitment to Sir Keir in recent years.

'I've been by his side for six years now as shadow chancellor and then as Chancellor of the Exchequer,' she told the public broadcaster.

The Chancellor said: 'I know that whoever is prime minister and chancellor in the future will inherit a stronger economy than the one I inherited two years ago.'

Her comments came ahead of a planned address at the British Chamber of Commerce's global annual conference on Thursday.

Potential challengers to Mr Burnham have been falling by the wayside, meaning he is on track to be confirmed as PM on July 17.

Former armed forces minister Al Carns, who resigned earlier this month in a row over defence spending, remains a possible contender, calling for a 'proper debate' on the country's future.

But he insisted yesterday that he 'wants to get behind' Mr Burnham if he gets assurances on policies including funding for the military.

There was more evidence overnight of the potential difficulties Mr Burnham faces if he does get the keys to No10.

US President Donald Trump delivered a withering initial assessment of the Makerfield MP as 'extremely liberal'.

The US president told reporters Mr Burnham 'probably won't open up the North Sea' for oil exploration, and that 'the UK is dying'.

Mr Burnham has been critical of Mr Trump in the past, describing US politics as 'polarised' and 'poisonous' while on the campaign trail in June.

As rioters stormed the US Capitol in 2021, Mr Burnham posted on X: 'Any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now.'