British Prime Minister Andy Burnham delivers a speech during the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.Andy Burnham has insisted the next general election will not take place until 2029.
The prime minister moved to kill off mounting speculation that he was preparing to call a snap poll next spring.
Under parliamentary rules, the next election must take place in 2029 at the latest.
In an interview with ITV Calendar, Burnham was asked if that was when it would happen.
He said: “Well, yes, that’s that’s when the next election will be. All of this speculation on an early election, I can knock that dead.
“You know people want me, new in office, to be getting on with the job of delivering on the things that we’ve discussed in this interview rather than putting self-serving politics before that, which was what I would be doing if I call an election. I’m not going to do that.”
In a separate interview with BBC East Midlands, the PM also ruled out the chances of a general election taking place at the same time as local elections scheduled for next May.
Labour has enjoyed a boost in support since Burnham replaced Keir Starmer as prime minister in July, fuelling rumours that he is tempted to call an election to secure his own five-year mandate.
Two mega-polls published this week showed Labour winning most seats at an election held now, but they would also lose more than 100 MPs and their Commons majority.
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