Andy Burnham is just one nomination short of becoming Britain’s next prime minister after 322 Labour MPs backed him to replace Sir Keir Starmer — a tally that makes it mathematically impossible for any rival to challenge him. The former Greater Manchester mayor, who won a by-election in Makerfield only weeks ago, is the only declared candidate in the leadership contest. If no one else enters by next Wednesday’s deadline, he will be named Labour leader next week and take office as prime minister on 20 July.
Sir Keir quit on the day Burnham was sworn in as an MP, saying he had heard the answer to whether he was “best placed to lead us into the next general election”. Burnham’s own by-election victory and heavy Labour losses in May’s local elections had piled pressure on the outgoing leader.
“Andy Burnham is one nomination short of becoming prime minister after 322 Labour MPs backed him.”
In a statement, Burnham said he was “deeply grateful” to the MPs who nominated him, adding that the support reflected a “shared belief that Britain needs a new approach to politics”. He promised “power out of Westminster, an economy rewired for ordinary people, and good growth in every postcode”.
His policy advisor, Labour MP Miatta Fahnbulleh, has outlined plans including the “biggest-ever rebalancing of power” away from Whitehall, with a new No 10 unit based in Manchester tasked with giving English regions more control over housing and transport. Burnham has also pledged to enable “greater public control” of water and energy sectors, though he has stopped short of full nationalisation — pointing instead to Greater Manchester’s bus franchising model as a template. On Thames Water, he has backed direct public ownership, a move already on the cards after the government objected to a proposed rescue deal for the debt-laden company in June.
Later on Thursday, Burnham appeared at the Silver Clef music awards in London, where he presented the Legend Award to Manchester band James. Joking about Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s decision to trigger a by-election in Clacton — which Labour and other main parties are boycotting — Burnham said: “Count Binface, you are carrying the hopes of the nation. Don’t let us down.”