Andy Burnham is on course to become Britain’s next prime minister after winning the backing of 349 Labour MPs, making it impossible for any rival to secure the 81 nominations needed to challenge him. The new MP for Makerfield received an additional 27 nominations on Monday, taking his total from 322 last week to 349. With only 54 MPs yet to back him, including outgoing leader Keir Starmer and Shabana Mahmood, who cannot nominate due to her role as NEC chair, no other candidate can now enter the contest.
Burnham is expected to replace Starmer as Labour leader on Friday before becoming prime minister next Monday. In an online hustings with the parliamentary Labour party on Monday night, he urged MPs to unite behind his leadership, promising to build a “broad church” cabinet reflecting all wings of the party. He vowed to create a “team and culture where everyone is valued, seen and listened to” and to establish a feedback loop between the PLP, local communities, and the leadership.
Burnham said his administration will focus on delivering good growth in every postcode, devolving power to communities, and putting the cost of living at the centre of government. His emphasis on devolution and the north has sparked anxiety among some Labour MPs that only northern allies or those linked to the “blue Labour movement” will benefit immediately from his policies.
During the hustings, Burnham paid tribute to Ann Widdecombe and urged politicians to give police the resources to investigate her death. He also praised Starmer for delivering the Hillsborough law, noting the prime minister kept his promise to the families of the 1989 disaster.
Meanwhile, Starmer’s formal resignation to the King, previously scheduled for early Monday, has been pushed back by over two hours due to England’s World Cup run. Starmer may attend Sunday’s final in New Jersey if England beat Argentina in the semi-final, and the logistics of a transatlantic flight necessitated the delay.
Additional nominations for Burnham on Monday included junior ministers Chris Bryant and Mike Tapp, former minister Jess Phillips, and Richard Burgon of the Socialist Campaign Group. Communities secretary Steve Reed, a key ally of Starmer, also backed Burnham, having been the only cabinet member not to nominate him last week.
