Labour MP plans party leadership run after election losses

A Labour MP who served briefly as transport secretary said the former transport secretary has been preparing to become prime minister for at least a year. The MP for Sheffield Heeley added that the route to the leadership became clear only after Labour's election results in May.

The MP for Sheffield Heeley told the BBC the former Greater Manchester mayor has been thinking about what he would do as prime minister for years. She noted he had run twice before to become Labour leader, in 2010 and 2015.

Heeley said the former Greater Manchester mayor has spent time away from Westminster thinking about how the country is run and what holds regions back. She denied he was unprepared because of his nine years as Greater Manchester mayor. She said he has clear ideas and a plan to address those issues.

The MP for Sheffield Heeley also defended the lack of detail on potential cabinet members, saying he was not beholden to anyone.

Payments published on Thursday found the disability benefit not fit for purpose. Opposition parties have called for cuts to the welfare budget to fund defence spending. The MP for Sheffield Heeley said the welfare bill was ballooning massively. She added that previous proposed cuts would not sustainably reduce spending because they would push costs up elsewhere.

Devolution plans The former Greater Manchester mayor has indicated he could transfer decision-making away from the Treasury. The MP for Sheffield Heeley said the Treasury exerts too much power over other areas of public policy. She said breaking up the Treasury would be a huge distraction and there was not enough time in two and a half years to do so.