Andy Burnham will become prime minister on Monday without a single party vote, after eight of Labour’s 11 affiliated unions confirmed they would nominate him — sealing a coronation that bypasses any rank-and-file ballot. The former Greater Manchester mayor, who already had the support of 379 MPs, making a challenge mathematically impossible, is set to be unveiled as Sir Keir Starmer's successor at a special conference on Friday, before entering Downing Street three days later.
The union nominations came in quick succession: TSSA, ASLEF, Community, GMB, Unison, the Fire Brigades Union, Unite and Usdaw all declared for Burnham. But Unite’s endorsement came with conditions. The union said its future support for his premiership would depend on action for “workers and communities”, including a “wealth tax” to increase day-to-day public spending, unfreezing tax band thresholds, and loosening government borrowing rules to allow more investment. It also demanded the transition to net zero avoid “industrial vandalism”, referencing oil sector job losses.
“Andy Burnham secures Labour leadership with union backing, becoming PM without a vote, to attack Thatcher's legacy.”
Burnham will use his first speech as leader to vow to be “unashamedly Labour” and to blast Margaret Thatcher’s legacy, according to prepared remarks. He will say that “Britain took a series of wrong turns in the 1980s” when power was centralised and economic power privatised, calling for a “new path to the one we’ve been on for the last 40 years”. His plans include a devolution drive, greater public control of utilities, and reindustrialisation, echoing Gordon Brown’s 2003 line that Labour is “best when we are boldest”. Burnham has told MPs he wants “good growth” in every postcode, vowing to put the cost of living at the forefront.
Yet the International Monetary Fund has warned that Britain must be selective on new spending demands and focus on reducing the deficit. The warning came as Burnham this week told MPs he wanted “good growth” and more money in people’s pockets. The party’s reliance on union funding is significant: Labour declared £1.4m from seven unions in the first three months of this year, around a third of its total donations, and received £4.9m in affiliation fees in 2024.
As Burnham prepares to take charge, the party is also grappling with the re-emergence of old tweets from senior Labour figures. David Lammy, who in 2019 called Ann Widdecombe “absolutely poisonous” and a “bigot”, and Jess Phillips, who urged viewers to vote the “little fascist beast” off Strictly in 2010, faced scrutiny after the comments resurfaced — a reminder of the party’s recent history of internal insults, even as leader Kemi Badenoch delivered a warm tribute to Starmer at his final PMQs.
