Summary

  • The deputy leader of the Labour Party tells Victoria Derbyshire that outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer "turned things around for Labour"

  • Lucy Powell, a close ally of PM-hopeful Andy Burnham, says she shares his frustrations over Labour's "lost opportunities"

  • Housing Secretary Steve Reed, meanwhile, says Labour will "move very swiftly" to unite behind Burnham in Downing Street

  • Reed's Tory counterpart, James Cleverly, says another general election "would cause more uncertainty"

  • And former Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin says the next PM must operate "almost like a wartime prime minister"

  1. Labour figures back Burnham, concerns on defence spending - what we just heardpublished at 10:24 BST 28 June

    Victoria Derbyshire wears a blue dress and stands in a TV studio set, sat down next to her are Steve Reed and James Cleverly

    That brings another Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg – presented today by Victoria Derbyshire – to an end.

    Keir Starmer's resignation, a possible Andy Burnham premiership, and defence spending were the points of this week's discussion.

    Here’s some of what we heard:

    • Lucy Powell, deputy leader of the Labour Party, paid tribute Keir Starmer’s "positive contributions". She said Andy Burnham has a "clear sense of purpose" - but refused to be drawn into discussion on possible Cabinet appointments, calling it a "slightly distracting conversation"
    • Housing Secretary Steve Reed said that Labour will "move very swiftly to uniting behind Andy Burnham as the new leader"
    • And we also heard from shadow housing secretary James Cleverly, who said that calling a general election would "only cause more uncertainty". He asked the government to work with his party to reduce the welfare bill and "divert some of that money to defence"
    • That point was reiterated by former head of the British Armed Forces, Sir Tony Radakin, who urged the next PM to act "like a wartime prime minister"
  2. General election would 'only cause more uncertainty' - Cleverlypublished at 10:05 BST 28 June

    James Cleverly sits on a chair opposite Victoria Derbyshire

    Shadow housing secretary James Cleverly says that the Conservative Party is not calling for another general election because "it would cause more uncertainty".

    He adds that the party doesn't want to see Labour replaced by Reform UK "where there is no plan, no credibility".

    "We're being honest in a way that I don't think Reform are," he says.

    Cleverly says that the Tories want to work with the government to "help them reduce the welfare bill" and "divert some of that money to defence, which we need now".

    Asked about comments made by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch - which likened Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to the gestapo - he says that Phillipson has pursued an agenda that is "about punishing people who spend their own money to send their children to private school".

    But, he says, he "probably wouldn't" have used that exact comparison.

    The show has ended for this week - we'll bring you a round up of what we heard in a few moments.

  3. Next PM must operate 'like a wartime prime minister', says ex-military chiefpublished at 09:48 BST 28 June

    Sir Tony Radakin speaking to Laura Kuenssberg

    The next UK prime minister must operate "almost like a wartime prime minister" in order to keep the country safe, says former Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.

    He tells Laura Kuenssberg in a pre-recorded interview that it is "really important" that the UK fulfils its commitment to increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP because of threats faced by Nato.

    Asked about the UK's defence spending, Radakin says the UK is in an "unusual" position.

    He says his advice for any incoming prime minister is to "keep our country safe, acknowledge that you have this extraordinary responsibility - you are almost like a wartime prime minister at the moment."

    He argues that the new PM should ask: "what do we look like to Moscow?"

    Radakin says this includes considering if the UK looks like a strong Nato member, a strong nuclear power and a strong ally of the US, because "those are the elements that keep us safe".

  4. Labour will unite behind Andy Burnham, Steve Reed sayspublished at 09:36 BST 28 June

    Media caption,

    Watch: Labour will 'swiftly' unite behind Andy Burnham, Steve Reed says

    Steve Reed is next to face questions. Derbyshire asks him about Starmer's resignation and the the prospective new prime minister.

    The housing secretary says he thinks the party will "move very swiftly to unite behind Andy Burnham as the new leader and new prime minister".

    He says the government will continue to focus on the interests of the British people and "speeding up the change" that the country voted for two years ago.

    Reed says that the Labour Party owes a debt of gratitude to Keir Starmer, but politics is "a game of rough and tumble" and a change of leader is to be expected.

  5. Powell says Burnham has 'sense of clear purpose'published at 09:29 BST 28 June

    Media caption,

    Lucy Powell pressed over her call for a general election after former PM Liz Truss resigned

    On newly-elected Makerfield MP Andy Burnham, Powell says she shares many of the same frustrations as him in terms of "lost opportunities" for the party.

    Derbyshire says the public do not really know what Burnham's national policies will be. Powell says one of the reasons Burnham is "so popular" because has has built up a "sense of clear purpose".

    Moving to a potential new cabinet, Powell is asked if Ed Miliband would be a suitable chancellor. Powell says "I do actually" but adds that it is a "slightly distracting conversation".

    "This is not about my job or anybody else's job," she says, adding that creating jobs for people around the country is her concern.

    Powell is then shown a tweet of hers from 2022, where she calls for a general election after Liz Truss' resignation. Derbyshire asks if Labour should call one following Starmer's resignation.

    "I think we were in very particular times after Liz Truss crashed the economy", says Powell.

  6. Powell says Starmer 'turned things around' for Labourpublished at 09:16 BST 28 June

    lucy powell

    Deputy leader of the Labour Party Lucy Powell starts by paying tribute to the out-going Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

    She says he "turned things around" for the Labour party and has reset its standing on the global stage.

    Asked by Derbyshire why Starmer has had to resign, Powell says: "It's not me getting rid of him, but I want to focus really on the positive contributions that he has made."

    Using a football analogy, the deputy Labour leader says that "when the manager loses the dressing room, the manager often takes the decision that that's the time for them to go."

    She say its now time for party to move on "to a new phase, and that's what we'll be doing".

  7. Let's get goingpublished at 09:00 BST 28 June

    It's just gone 09:00 BST and the programme is getting under way - with Victoria Derbyshire taking on hosting duties this week.

    You can watch live by hitting the play button at the top of the page, or tune in on BBC One and iPlayer.

    Stay with us as we bring you today's top moments.

  8. Starmer resigns, Burnham's back - a recap of a busy weekpublished at 08:57 BST 28 June

    A split image of Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer, both white men who wear glasses.Image source, Getty Images

    In the space of a week, the UK's political landscape has changed significantly.

    The last episode of Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg saw cabinet minister Peter Kyle say Keir Starmer was reflecting on "political realities" amid speculation over the prime minister's future.

    By Monday, Starmer had stopped reflecting.

    He resigned as PM, saying "every decision" he made has been about "putting the country I love first".

    It came just before Andy Burnham - the former Greater Manchester mayor who is tipped to become the next prime minister - was sworn in as an MP.

    Following his big win in the Makerfield by-election, Burnham travelled to London to officially re-enter Parliament. On his way to the capital he announced he would run to become leader of the Labour Party - and PM.

    Wes Streeting, another potential challenger, backed Burnham for the top job.

    Nominations for potential candidates to come forward open on 9 July and close a week later. Starmer said by the reopening of Parliament following the summer recess, 1 September, the party will have a new leader in place.

  9. Deputy Labour leader and Burnham ally to be quizzed by Victoria Derbyshirepublished at 08:47 BST 28 June

    Labour Party Deputy Leader Lucy Powell is interviewed during the vote count for the Gorton and Denton by-election in Manchester, Britain, 26 February 2026Image source, EPA

    It's that time of the week again. Victoria Derbyshire presents Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg this morning, with Labour's deputy leader Lucy Powell among those in the hot seat.

    Her appearance comes as the party faces down a leadership race following the resignation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

    A longtime ally of newly-minted Makerfield MP Andy Burnham, Powell does not currently hold a cabinet role. That could change if Burnham, who says he would enter Labour's leadership race, becomes prime minister.

    Also on the programme is Housing Secretary Steve Reed, who will be questioned days after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation as Labour leader.

    Labour's ruling body has set out a timetable for electing his replacement, meaning a new PM could be moving into No 10 as early as 17 July.

    Shadow housing secretary James Cleverly will also take questions, alongside former British Armed Forces head, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.

    On the panel are broadcaster Piers Morgan, trade unionist Joanne Thomas and cross-bench peer Sharon White.