Andy Burnham has been formally declared the new leader of the Labour Party at a special conference held at the Trades Union Congress headquarters in London on Friday, July 17, 2026. The Makerfield MP and former Greater Manchester mayor will succeed Sir Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation in June. Burnham is set to become Prime Minister on Monday, July 20, after Sir Keir tenders his resignation to King Charles III.
Overwhelming Backing from Labour MPs
Burnham secured the leadership after receiving 379 nominations from Labour MPs, far exceeding the 323 threshold needed to make a contest mathematically impossible. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the result at the conference, stating it was her honour to declare Burnham as the next leader. The MP was the only candidate to enter the race, with MP nominations closing at 6pm on Wednesday, July 16. He also secured the backing of at least three socialist societies and trade unions by the following evening, a formality in the process.
Transition of Power
Sir Keir Starmer, who became Prime Minister in July 2024, pledged to remain in office until a successor was chosen. A removals van was spotted outside 10 Downing Street on Friday morning, indicating a swift handover. On Monday, Sir Keir will formally resign to the monarch, after which King Charles will invite Burnham to form a new government. Parliament went into recess on July 16, meaning Burnham will not address MPs as Prime Minister until they return in early September.
Burnham's Vision: 'Unashamedly Labour'
In his acceptance speech, Burnham promised a government that would be 'unashamedly Labour in our priorities and in the decisions we take, putting people and places at the heart of everything we do.' He also blamed Margaret Thatcher for Britain's contemporary problems, claiming the country took a 'series of wrong turns in the 1980s.' According to reports, Burnham will pay tribute to Sir Keir Starmer's government, crediting him with returning Labour to power and delivering 'one of the largest election victories in its history.' He is also expected to praise achievements such as NHS improvements, public service investment, and the Hillsborough Law, a campaign Burnham has long supported.
Criticism and Support
Burnham has faced criticism from some quarters. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told LBC that Burnham needed more scrutiny, saying he was becoming Prime Minister 'without any policy statement, no debate, no interview, no discussion.' Corbyn, who defeated Burnham in the 2015 leadership contest, said he was 'suspiciously optimistic' about the new leader. Labour MP Graham Stringer complained about a lack of detailed plans, stating, 'Andy hasn't told us what he's going to do... effectively nominating him would have been giving a blank cheque.' However, Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram, a close ally, dismissed such criticism, calling Stringer an 'old curmudgeon' and insisting that Burnham's government would 'shake things up' and be 'significantly different' from Starmer's. Rotheram added that a plan had been worked on for 'many weeks and months.'
External Reactions
Green Party leader Zack Polanski accused Burnham of adopting watered-down Green policies, saying, 'Why have semi-skimmed when you could come to the Green party and actually have the full version?' Former Prime Minister Liz Truss, speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the US, warned that the UK could be 'headed for a financial crisis' under Burnham, claiming 'the money is going to run out.' She predicted Labour would tire of Burnham and replace him before 2029. Pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the TUC headquarters, holding a banner reading 'stop arming Israel.'
Next Steps
Burnham will address Labour activists at an undisclosed location in the south-east of England later on Friday. In a post on X, he stated, 'The next few days are about more than changing who governs Britain. They're about changing how Britain is governed.' The special conference was opened by Deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell, who paid tribute to Sir Keir Starmer's legacy, including lifting half a million children out of poverty and restoring the country's international standing.
