Andy Burnham is set to become Britain’s next prime minister after securing the backing of 349 Labour MPs, including all eligible cabinet members. This makes it impossible for any rival to reach the 81 nominations needed to challenge him for the party leadership.
Burnham, the MP for Makerfield, received an additional 27 nominations on Monday, taking his total from 322 last week. He is expected to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader on Friday before entering No 10 on Monday.
In a bid to unite the party, Burnham told the parliamentary Labour party on Monday night that he would build a “broad church” cabinet representing all wings of the party. He also pledged to be “accountable, visible and accessible” to create a feedback loop between MPs and the leadership.
His focus on devolution and the cost of living has left some MPs anxious that only northern constituencies and allies of the “blue Labour movement” will see immediate benefits. Burnham also paid tribute to the late Ann Widdecombe, calling for police to be given resources to investigate her death.
Meanwhile, Starmer’s formal resignation to the King has been delayed due to England’s World Cup run. If England beat Argentina in the semi-final, Starmer is expected to attend Sunday’s final, pushing his Palace meeting back by more than two hours.
