Labour Mayor Andy Burnham accused of walking out on rival Keir Starmer's conference speech

Labour Mayor Andy Burnham has been accused of abandoning Labour's annual conference - just before Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivered his big speech. Mr Burnham was pictured leaving the conference venue in Liverpool as Sir Keir was preparing to take to the stage. The conference has been dominated by speculation that Mr Burnham could attempt to replace Sir Keir as Labour leader, while the party struggles to fight off the threat from Reform UK and Nigel Farage.

Sunday Times journalist Gabrial Pogrund posted a photo on X of Mr Burnham walking out of the venue, with the caption "Andy Burnham leaves conference minutes before Starmer's speech". Once Sir Keir started speaking, he delivered a series of what appeared to be digs at his Labour rival. Mr Burnham has previously suggested Labour should be willing to spend more money and should not be "in hock" to the bond markets, which are regarded as limiting how much a British government can borrow.

In response, Sir Keir's allies have claimed Mr Burnham's approach would cause a financial meltdown similar to when Liz Truss was Prime Minister. And in his speech, Sir Keir did not mention Mr Burnham by name but made a series of comments that seemed to me aimed at the Mayor.

Sir Keir said his Government would not indulge in a "desire to avoid reality" on the economy with "unfunded tax cuts or unfunded spending," adding: "A Labour Party that cannot control spending is a Labour Party that cannot govern in our times."

The Prime Minister told Labour conference: "I acknowledge the temptation.

"You see it all around the world, a desire to avoid reality, to neglect the long-term, cast off the constraints and indulge in ideological fantasy.

"That's what happened with Liz Truss.

"But it does not matter if it's unfunded tax cuts or unfunded spending, the result is the same. You lose control of the economy and working people pay the price.

"I will never let that happen again. I will never let that happen to working people with Labour.

"This is why we changed the party, because a Labour Party that cannot control spending is a Labour Party that cannot govern in our times.

"This isn't a game, it's not a tactic, those rules protect working people, they protect our children's future."

Mr Burnham has accused the Prime Minister of creating a climate of fear within Labour. He said at a conference event: "One thing I am worried about, and I think we do need to debate at this conference in my view, is how can you have an open debate about all of those things if there's too much of a climate of fear within our party and the way the party is being run."