Key facts
- Andy Burnham is the sole candidate for the Labour Party leadership.
- Former armed forces minister Al Carns has withdrawn his potential challenge.
- Burnham secured 322 Labour MP nominations.
- Keir Starmer resigned as UK Prime Minister in June.
- Burnham is expected to become Prime Minister on July 20.
Andy Burnham is on course to become the UK's next prime minister after his final potential rival for the Labour leadership, Al Carns, withdrew from the race. Burnham secured the backing of 322 Labour MPs on Thursday, making it mathematically impossible for any other challenger to gather the required 81 signatures to enter the contest.
Burnham, 56, who previously served as an MP and as Mayor of Greater Manchester, is expected to be crowned Labour leader and prime minister in waiting at a special conference on July 17. He would then replace Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street on July 20.
Carns, formerly the armed forces minister, stated that a leadership contest was not what the country needed, opting instead to support Burnham. Other potential candidates, such as former health minister Wes Streeting, have also dropped their bids and endorsed Burnham.
Burnham, nicknamed the "King of the North," has vowed to rebalance power in the UK and has pledged fiscal discipline, committing to current government borrowing limits. However, he will face challenges including anaemic growth, a cost-of-living squeeze, and an unpredictable US president in Donald Trump. Burnham has also indicated a potential shift in policy regarding Israel's actions in Gaza, suggesting the response has been insufficient.
Starmer resigned as Labour leader on June 22 after losing the support of Labour MPs, following a by-election win that allowed Burnham to return to parliament. Many MPs see Burnham as the party's best chance to regain support from Nigel Farage's Reform UK party.