Andy Burnham to be next prime minister after MPs back him for Labour leadership

The recently-elected Makerfield MP and former Greater Manchester Mayor will be heading to Number 10

Andy Burnham will be the next prime minister of the United Kingdom after being backed by MPs for Labour leadership, it has been confirmed.

The recently-elected Makerfield MP and former Greater Manchester Mayor received an extra 27 nominations from Labour MPs on Monday (July 13), now taking his total to 349.

These additional nominations, on top of the 322 he received last week, mean it is now impossible for any other candidate to gain the 81 endorsements needed to challenge for the Labour leadership, leading him to become the next prime minister.

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While almost 80 per cent of the Parliamentary Labour Party formally nominated Mr Burnham last week, extra endorsements on Monday have since taken him over the line. The extra nominations included backing from Communities Secretary Steve Reed, a key ally of Sir Keir Starmer.

Mr Reed was the only member of the Cabinet not to nominate Mr Burnham last week – Shabana Mahmood and Anna Turley by convention will not nominate anyone because of their positions chairing Labour’s national executive committee and the party respectively. Sir Keir, as outgoing leader, also by convention does not take part.

As the only candidate to replace Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Burnham is expected to formally take over the Labour leadership at a special party conference on Friday. He will then become prime minister three days later, on July 20.

Others who nominated Mr Burnham on Monday included junior ministers Sir Chris Bryant and Mike Tapp, former minister Jess Phillips and Richard Burgon, secretary of the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs.

Despite being the only candidate, Mr Burnham is also expected to take part in an online hustings with Labour MPs later on Monday.

It comes after current Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced last month he would be resigning. In a statement following Mr Burnham’s Makerfield victory, he said he would be stepping down ‘in good grace’.

He said: “The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election.

“I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace. Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party.”