Labour leadership: Starmer 'doesn't want to be presumptuous' about winning
The favourite to succeed Jeremy Corbyn says he is taking nothing for granted - and has not talked about shadow cabinet jobs.
Monday 24 February 2020 13:26, UK
Sir Keir Starmer has told Sky News that he is not being "presumptuous" in the race for the Labour leadership - and has not talked to anyone about jobs in the shadow cabinet.
The shadow Brexit secretary, who is the favourite to succeed Jeremy Corbyn, told Kay Burley@Breakfast that he was "utterly focused" on ensuring he wins the contest.
Sir Keir - along with Wigan MP Lisa Nandy and shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey - has promised to offer his rivals jobs in the shadow cabinet if he wins.
So far, he has gained the most support among the party's MPs and MEPs, affiliate organisations, trade unions and constituency parties.
The victor will be announced at the start of April, with voting getting under way on Monday.
As the campaign rumbles on, there has been discussion and speculation about the make-up of the eventual winner's top team.
Mr Corbyn has said he would be "happy" to remain on Labour's frontbench - with Ms Long-Bailey saying she would "like to" keep him in the shadow cabinet if she emerges victorious.
Ed Miliband - Mr Corbyn's predecessor - is reportedly being lined up for a return to the frontbench by Sir Keir.
Senior allies of the leadership contender have been quoted by The Daily Telegraph as saying Mr Miliband was a contender to become shadow chancellor.
Asked what role he would give Mr Corbyn were he to win, Sir Keir told Sky News: "I've not assigned any role to anyone in any shadow cabinet. I'm utterly focused on winning this contest.
"The voting is only starting today. Nobody has voted. There's been some indicators along the way, but nobody's voted.
"I'm focused on running a very positive campaign and making sure that we display unity in our campaign and do it in that positive way and winning it.
"But I've not been talking to anyone about shadow cabinet positions.
"So any rumours anybody hears, they're just wrong. I haven't spoken to anyone about this."
Quizzed on what roles he had in mind for his two leadership rivals, Sir Keir insisted there have been no talks with anybody about shadow cabinet jobs.
He added: "I genuinely have not talked to anybody about what job anyone might have. Because I don't want to be presumptuous about this.
"I'm fighting this race to win it. I know that I've got to persuade as many members as possible to vote for me. That's all that matters at the moment.
"I'm not discussing anything beyond that."
One person who will not be in the next shadow cabinet is Diane Abbott.
The shadow home secretary told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday that she would return to the backbenches regardless of who wins the contest.
Ballots are being sent out this week in the leadership contest, with more than 580,000 party members having their say.
The system used is a preferential vote, so if no candidate wins more than 50% in the first round, then the candidate in last place is eliminated and their votes redistributed until the threshold is reached.
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Members will also have the chance to elect a new deputy leader.
Angela Rayner, Dawn Butler, Ian Murray, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan and Richard Burgon are all vying for the job.