Andy Burnham is on course to become the next prime minister after securing the support of 322 Labour MPs in the first day of nominations for the party's leadership, effectively eliminating the possibility of a rival challenge. The former Greater Manchester Mayor expressed deep gratitude for the backing, which nearly guarantees his coronation as Labour leader and successor to Keir Starmer.
Burnham's Path to Leadership
Under Labour's rules, candidates need the backing of 20% of the party's 403 MPs—81 MPs—to enter the leadership race. With 322 endorsements, Burnham has far exceeded the threshold, and if just one more MP supports him, no other challenger can reach the required number, even though nominations remain open until July 15. Ex-defence minister Al Carns, the last potential rival, confirmed he would not stand against Burnham.
In a statement on X, Burnham said: "I am deeply grateful to the 322 Labour MPs who have put their trust in me and nominated me for Leader of the Labour Party. Their support comes from across the PLP and reflects a shared belief that Britain needs a new approach to politics. That is the circuit breaker I am offering: power out of Westminster, an economy rewired for ordinary people, and good growth in every postcode."
Starmer's Endorsement
Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised his likely successor in a video on Thursday, saying he has known Burnham for a long time and worked with him in Parliament. Asked whether Burnham would make a good prime minister, Starmer told reporters: "Yes, I do. I have known him a long time, I've worked with him when I first came to Parliament, in his team directly."
Plans for Downing Street
Burnham's close ally Louise Haigh, the former Transport Secretary tipped for a major cabinet role, revealed that Burnham has been planning for Downing Street for at least a year. On the BBC's Political Thinking podcast, she said: "I don't think I am breaking any state secrets to say Andy has been thinking and has had his ambition, his ambitions have been clear for some time." She added that he has a blueprint for his first 100 days in No10, though she declined to share details.
Haigh, who was involved in transition talks with the civil service, rejected claims that Burnham is unprepared due to his nine years away from Westminster as Mayor of Greater Manchester. She said: "He has spent that time thinking very deeply about how the country is run, what holds regions like Greater Manchester, and therefore most regions and the devolved nations of this country, back. He has got very, very clear ideas and a plan to put that right."
Transition and Criticism
Haigh has been working alongside Burnham and James Purnell, who is set to be the new No10 chief-of-staff, focusing on national security, the economy, and devolution. This follows criticism from Starmer's former chief-of-staff, Morgan McSweeney, that Labour did not prepare enough for power before the 2024 general election, citing mistakes like cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners that "defined the government in a way that really did us a lot of damage."
