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Lammy says "of course" he will go to Makerfield to campaign for Andy Burnham in the upcoming by-election, if Burnham is to be selected as Labour's candidate.

He says he and Burnham were "proteges back in the Tony Blair government" and describes him as a "great guy, a very able politician, wonderful communicator".

"It would be great to have him back in Parliament," he adds.

Asked if Starmer himself will be campaigning for Burnham, Lammy says "all of us in cabinet" will be pushing for a Labour win.

Pressed about a potential leadership contest, Lammy says: "I believe in loyalty, I believe in trust, I believe in conviction."

He says he spoke to Starmer twice yesterday and that he stands by him, adding that Labour needs to "get back on the pitch" after 10 days of infighting.

"Let us get back on pitch after 10 days of introspection and infighting, back on the pitch delivering for the British people in government with the levers of power. We've got three years," Lammy says.

Asked whether Starmer would fight a potential leadership challenge, Lammy says he has been "crystal clear that he fights on", adding that the prime minister "has my full support".

Asked if he personally wants the UK to rejoin the EU, Lammy says: "Everyone knows that the Brexit that was delivered by Boris Johson and his cronies damaged the British economy."

He says the UK is "poorer as a result" and with increased, rather then lowered, immigration.

The UK is now "reconnecting" with colleagues in Europe, he says, and that the UK will make "step-by-step improvements".

"I'm very proud that we led us down that road," he adds.

Asked about Wes Streeting's comments about Brexit over the weekend, Lammy says he is sad the former health secretary left government, but that ministers who do so are "free to say whatever they want".

He says "collective responsibility matters" in government, and points to Labour's manifesto promises, which set out red lines on not rejoining the European Union.

Lammy says he won't speculate about what a future Labour manifesto might say on Europe.

Labour's manifesto at the last election said: "There will be no return to the single market, the customs union, or freedom of movement."

We're about to hear from Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy on BBC Breakfast. You can watch live by clicking play above and we'll bring you text updates here.

He is also being asked about a planned overhaul of the youth justice system, which sets out how young people vulnerable to falling into lives of crime will receive earlier support.

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We haven't heard directly from Andy Burnham or Wes Streeting since Saturday, when both began to set out their stalls for a potential leadership contest.

Streeting confirmed he would stand in any future race, saying: "We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and I will be standing."

He also said leaving the European Union had been a "catastrophic mistake" and the UK should "one day" rejoin the bloc.

Burnham told the BBC that Labour "needs to be better", adding: "We've got to see this as a moment to reclaim the Labour Party, to save it from where it's been - we can't just carry on as we are."

The Makerfield by-election is likely to be held on 18 June, the BBC understands.

Labour candidate applications close at midday today.

Labour's ruling body cleared Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to run for selection last week, having previously blocked him from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February. This paves the way for him to return to Westminster, should he stand and win.

It's not yet clear when the other parties will hold their selections.

At the general election in 2024, Labour won the seat with 45.2% of the vote, a majority of 5,399. Reform came in second with 31.8%.

But local elections earlier this month showed Reform taking roughly 50% of the vote - albeit council ward boundaries do not fully align with constituency boundaries.

Party leader Nigel Farage shared pictures on X over the weekend showing Reform activists campaigning in Makerfield.

Image source, UK Parliament

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The UK's membership of the European Union looks set to become a key issue in the Makerfield by-election - and a possible Labour leadership contest.

As Joe Pike just reported, Streeting said in a speech on Saturday the UK should "one day" rejoin the EU, which he described as a "catastrophic mistake".

He said leaving the EU left the UK "less wealthy, less powerful and less in control than at any point before the Industrial Revolution".

"The biggest economic opportunity we have is on our doorstep. We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain's future lies with Europe – and one day back in the European Union," he added.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy on Sunday described Streeting's call to rejoin the EU as "a bit odd".

She agreed the UK should not have left the EU but does not "really understand why the sudden focus on Europe".

Joe Pike
Political correspondent

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Allies of the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, have criticised his Labour leadership rival - Wes Streeting - for saying that "Britain's future lies with Europe - and one day, back in the European Union".

They tell the BBC the former health secretary’s intervention was unhelpful because highlighting the issue of Brexit could make it more difficult for Burnham to beat Reform in the forthcoming by-election in Makerfield in Greater Manchester.

Winning the seat would allow Burnham to challenge Keir Starmer and become prime minister.

In 2024, Labour’s general election manifesto promised that there would be no return to the EU single market, the customs union, or freedom of movement.

If either Andy Burnham or Wes Streeting were to succeed Sir Keir Starmer, the UK would have a prime minister who supported rejoining the EU at some point in the future. Over the weekend both men reaffirmed that position, but Streeting did it far more whole-heartedly.

He said in a speech that Brexit was a catastrophic mistake and that one day the UK should rejoin the EU.

Allies of Burnham believe that intervention was unhelpful, since it highlights an issue the Greater Manchester mayor wants to avoid in the by-election. He faces a battle to beat Reform in a leave-supporting area.

Yet Burnham said in an interview on Saturday that "in the long-term there was a case" for rejoining the EU, although he wasn’t advocating that during this campaign.

A spokesperson for Streeting told the BBC that he had always been a pro-European, and the party shouldn’t fear debate or ideas.