When Andy Burnham’s name was announced in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon, Labour MPs cheered delightedly. But from the opposition benches came a different kind of welcome. “He’s not the Messiah!” one MP shouted – a Monty Python reference that drew a smiling retort from the newly sworn-in MP for Makerfield: “Naughty boy.”
Moments earlier, Burnham had signed the register confirming his return to Parliament after nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester. The joke captured the mood of a day that saw the end of one Labour leader and the likely rise of another. Just hours before, Sir Keir Starmer had choked back tears on the steps of Downing Street, announcing his resignation as prime minister. “I have accepted with good grace that my party no longer wants me in charge,” he said, as he set out a timetable for his departure.
“Andy Burnham returns to parliament after winning Makerfield by-election as Keir Starmer resigns as PM.”
Burnham’s return was swift. The former Leigh MP won the Makerfield by-election last Thursday with 55% of the vote, more than 20 points ahead of his Reform UK opponent, Robert Kenyon. The result was seismic: in May’s local elections, Reform had won every seat in Makerfield. The victory owed much to what commentators have called “Brand Burnham” – a blend of personal popularity and a political offer that included public ownership of utilities, a land value tax and electoral reform.
Within hours of Starmer’s announcement, Burnham confirmed he would put himself forward to replace him, calling for an “orderly and responsible” transition. Even Wes Streeting, a rumoured leadership contender, withdrew and backed Burnham, saying he was the right man to “deliver the change our party and our country needs”. No other candidate has publicly entered the race.
Burnham began his day by bidding goodbye to staff in Manchester before taking the train to London. His return to Westminster was a homecoming: first elected as MP for Leigh in 2001, he served under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, then ran twice for the Labour leadership before becoming mayor.
But the top job comes with a daunting in-tray. If Burnham becomes prime minister, he will inherit the UK’s most important strategic relationship at a moment of volatility: dealing with Donald Trump. The US president is not a natural ally for a soft-left Mancunian known for his love of public transport. Navigating Trump may prove Burnham’s first and trickiest international challenge.