Britain’s ruling Labour Party is expected to confirm veteran politician, Andy Burnham, as its new leader and the country’s next prime minister at a special conference on July 17.
With the centre-left Labour Party holding a commanding majority in parliament, the 56-year-old Burnham is set to replace Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street on Monday, just four weeks after making a dramatic return as a lawmaker following a nine-year absence from the House of Commons.
Burnham’s rise will make him the United Kingdom’s seventh prime minister in a decade, highlighting a growing trend of British lawmakers turning against their own leaders when parties face major political challenges.
Known as the “King of the North” after securing three consecutive victories as mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham entered the Labour leadership race unopposed.
The appointment marks his third attempt at leading the party after unsuccessful bids in 2010 and 2015, when he was defeated by Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn respectively.
Burnham served as a member of parliament from 2001 to 2017 and held several government positions before reinventing himself as a more approachable political figure. He has combined a relaxed public image with a strong presence on social media platforms.
Labour lawmakers are hoping Burnham can connect with voters more effectively than Starmer and pursue a more ambitious strategy to reform the country’s struggling public services and stimulate economic growth.
“We’ve got to give people a lift, haven’t we? We’ve got to give people a stronger sense of hope and a feeling that the country’s on the way back,” Burnham said on a podcast with former footballer Gary Lineker on Wednesday.
Labour is also counting on Burnham to challenge the growing influence of Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party, which opinion polls suggest could perform strongly in the next general election expected in 2029.
Starmer brought Labour back into government after 14 years in opposition following a landslide victory over the Conservatives in July 2024. His victory came after the Conservative Party had gone through four leaders in five years.
However, Starmer’s time in office was quickly overshadowed by domestic policy setbacks and controversies, including the decision to appoint former Jeffrey Epstein associate Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.
Poor results in local and regional elections in May increased pressure on Starmer, with his position becoming increasingly difficult to maintain after Burnham won a parliamentary by-election on June 18, making him eligible to contest the leadership.
A majority of Labour MPs subsequently withdrew their backing for Starmer, and he announced his resignation on June 22.
Later that day, Burnham received a warm reception from dozens of Labour lawmakers as he was sworn into parliament, signalling strong support for him to take over the party leadership.
Burnham, who is often recognised by his trademark dark T-shirt and casual jacket, has received backing from 379 of Labour’s 403 MPs, while no rival secured the required 81 nominations needed to challenge him.
The politician, who comes from Labour’s so-called soft left wing, said he was “deeply grateful” for the broad support and confidence shown by lawmakers across the party.
“That is the circuit breaker I am offering: power out of Westminster, an economy rewired for ordinary people, and good growth in every postcode.”
His central policy proposal is to transfer more powers to cities and establish a “No. 10 North” office in Manchester, aimed at ensuring regions outside London receive greater attention and investment.
However, Burnham will inherit many of the same difficulties that challenged Starmer, including weak economic growth, expensive government borrowing, and continued arrivals of irregular migrants in small boats across the Channel, a situation that has boosted support for Reform UK.
Rising uncertainty over energy prices linked to the US-Iran conflict, alongside the unpredictability of US President Donald Trump’s administration, could also create additional challenges for his government.
Burnham, who will officially assume office after meeting head of state King Charles III, has pledged to follow Labour’s 2024 election manifesto commitment not to increase the country’s main taxes.
He will nevertheless face pressure to identify new sources of funding to address a £4.7 billion ($6.3 billion) shortfall in the defence investment programme over four years, while also tackling the politically sensitive issue of welfare reform.
