Andy Burnham is poised to become the next Labour leader and Prime Minister, following a decisive victory in the party's leadership contest. The Makerfield MP, who won a by-election last month, will be formally named party leader at a special conference on Friday, July 17, after securing overwhelming support from Labour MPs and affiliated organisations. He is expected to deliver a speech at midday at the Trades Union Congress headquarters in London.
Transition of Power
Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, will succeed Sir Keir Starmer and is set to enter Downing Street on Monday, July 20, becoming Britain's seventh Prime Minister in a decade. Sir Keir announced his resignation on June 22, stating he would step down once his successor was chosen. He had been elected in a landslide in July 2024 but resigned after two turbulent years marked by controversies and heavy losses in local elections, where Labour lost nearly 1,500 council seats nationwide.
Path to Leadership
Burnham engineered his return to the Commons when Makerfield MP Josh Simons stood aside to allow him to contest the seat. Simons stated he was vacating his seat so the Greater Manchester mayor could 'return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for.' Burnham won the by-election on June 19 with a majority of 9,231 votes over Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon, a margin larger than his predecessor's.
To secure the leadership, Burnham needed 349 nominations from fellow MPs, a threshold he comfortably surpassed, making it impossible for any other candidate to reach the 81 endorsements required to stand. He was nominated by 80% of the parliamentary Labour Party last week, with additional endorsements on July 13 sealing his victory. The nomination window closed at 6pm on July 15.
Key Endorsements
Communities Secretary Steve Reed, a key ally of outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, backed Burnham after initially delaying his nomination due to a council by-election in his constituency. Other supporters included junior ministers Chris Bryant and Mike Tapp, former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, and Richard Burgon of the Socialist Campaign Group. By convention, Shabana Mahmood and Anna Turley, who chair Labour's National Executive Committee, did not nominate anyone, nor did Sir Keir as outgoing leader. Only two Greater Manchester MPs—Graham Stringer and Phil Brickell—withheld their support.
Final Steps and Criticism
The final nomination stage, requiring support from three Labour affiliates including at least two trade unions, was a formality. Burnham will officially become Prime Minister on Monday, appointed by King Charles, who will invite him to form a government. Parliament entered recess on July 16, meaning Burnham will not address MPs until September, a delay that has drawn criticism. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said, 'In an unprecedented move, Labour have scrapped the Conservative vote to force Andy Burnham to come to Parliament to answer questions when he becomes PM on Monday. Labour are running scared because they know the honeymoon will be over the minute he has to tell us his plans.' Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called Burnham 'the least scrutinised prime minister in [his] lifetime.'
Policy Agenda and Cabinet Speculation
Burnham has pledged to govern differently, promising radical devolution of power and money from London, including his 'No 10 North' plan to move part of the Prime Minister's office to Manchester. Cabinet appointments are expected after he enters No 10. Rachel Reeves appears to have conceded she will not remain as chancellor, with sources suggesting Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood could replace her. Reports indicate that Ed Miliband has been blocked from the role due to concerns from trade unionists and city traders about his net zero policies. Mahmood is understood to want to stay as home secretary to continue asylum reforms. There are also reports that David Miliband could return as foreign secretary, taking a seat in the Lords; he held the post under Gordon Brown but resigned as an MP in 2013 to lead the International Rescue Committee.
