Starmer's post-Makerfield plan for Burnham and survival

Ahead of one of history’s most consequential by-elections this week, Keir Starmer has revealed how he plans to persuade Andy Burnham not to launch a leadership challenge.

In this week’s Talking Politics, Robert joins Tom from Evian in France where Starmer is meeting world leaders at the G7 summit - in what could be his last foreign trip as PM.

As voters in Makerfield prepare to head to the polls on Thursday, Robert explains why Starmer’s strategy to stay in Number 10 if Burnham wins the by-election is “almost emotional blackmail”.

And: find out what Robert thinks the PM and Millwall Football Club have in common…

Full list of candidates standing in the Makerfield by-election:

Jake Austin, Liberal Democrats

Count Binface, Count Binface Party

Andy Burnham, Labour Party

Dan Clarke, Libertarian Party

John Alfred Dyer, Independent

Ed Gemmell, Climate Party

Paul Richard Gould, Independent

Alan 'Howlin' Laud Hope, The Official Monster Raving Loony Party

Robert Kenyon, Reform UK

Robert Pownall, Independent

Rebecca Shepherd, Restore Britain

Sarah Wakefield, Green Party

Peter Ward, Rejoin EU