David Lammy has said this morning on Sky News, there will be “no timetable” set out for when Sir Keir will resign.
David Lammy said that the PM is the committed to the job and will not step down.
The deputy prime minister has said: “Let me be really clear. Keir Starmer remains the most resilient person I know in my life. I spoke to him twice yesterday. He has a strength of character and fighting experience. There will be no timetable.
“What there is, is getting on with the business of government. [I’m] really crystal clear about that.
“At the moment there is no contest. What there is, is his determination to deliver for the British people, accelerate the pace over the coming months. [There’s] much to do.”
When David Lammy was challenged over the fact Starmer is not setting out a departure date as 92 Labour MPs have called for, Lammy replies: “There will be no timetable for departure.”
The deputy prime minister was also questioned on the governments position on whether the UK should rejoin the EU to which he refused to answer.
The old issue of whether the UK should rejoin the EU has once again been raised by former health secretary, Wes Streeting.
Asked if he would like to see the UK rejoin, David Lammy tells Sky News: “I’m really proud that as foreign secretary, I was the first foreign secretary back around the European Union table with other foreign secretaries. It led to the summit last year. We have the SPS [a food and drink] deal. We’re moving forward on the work experience. We’re back in Erasmus. We’ve got a summit coming up in two months’ time.
“All that began under me because I was determined that we would reconnect once again with Europe.”
Asked the same question again, he replies: “We set red lines in the manifesto that we are absolutely committed to.”
Those lines refer to a commitment that the UK will not rejoin the single market, the customs union or freedom of movement.
Asked a third time whether the UK should rejoin the EU, Lammy replies: “I see now that there’s a debate about the next election, I’m not going to make a commitment about the next election and the next manifesto.”
Asked again, he replies that Streeting has left government and “can comment” but that is “not my position”.
Sky news tried one last time to get an answer from David Lammy on his thoughts, he replies: “I am in government delivering for the British people.
“I’m very proud that I began a process that brought us back alongside the EU, discussing the issues that matter, like security, defence, how we bring down the cost of living and, of course, how we work together better.”