Andy Burnham secures Labour backing in bid to become UK prime minister

Andy Burnham has moved into pole position to become the next British prime minister after securing the backing of more than 85% of Labour MPs, according to the supplied report. The former mayor of Greater Manchester is now said to have enough support within the parliamentary party that his bid cannot be challenged by other Labour MPs. The development comes after Keir Starmer resigned last month following heavy criticism from within his own party.

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The report says Burnham received a further 27 nominations on Monday afternoon, taking his total to 349 MPs. Under Labour rules, a challenger would need the support of 20% of the party to mount a contest, a threshold the report says is now impossible for any rival to reach. It also says Burnham could become prime minister as early as next week if the process continues as expected.

Burnham was elected MP for Makerfield last month after previously serving as a minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He launched his campaign to return to Westminster after Labour suffered heavy losses in local elections in May, and he has confirmed that he would seek to replace Starmer if successful. The report says Starmer had faced pressure over several scandals, a lack of clear direction, and poor polling despite the party's landslide general election victory two years ago.

The leadership shift matters because it could bring a rapid change at the top of government without a general election. It also reflects the scale of internal strain inside Labour after months of criticism over policy, party discipline and the government's handling of the war in Gaza. The report says tens of thousands of Labour members have left the party over its stance on Israel's war on Gaza, which critics say made Starmer and his cabinet complicit in the conflict.

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Burnham has already tried to address that anger, apologising last week for Labour's position and saying it "didn't get it right". He also promised to put more pressure on Israel, signalling a possible shift in tone if he takes over. Beyond foreign policy, he has outlined plans to give areas outside London more autonomy and power, tapping into long-running complaints that cities outside southeast England have been neglected.

What remains unclear is the exact timing of the handover and whether any procedural steps could still affect the transition. The report says Burnham's path is effectively unchallengeable, but it does not set out the full timetable for confirmation. The coming days will show whether Labour completes the leadership change as quickly as suggested and how Burnham begins to define his agenda as prime minister.

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