Andy Burnham Edges Closer To Labour Leadership With Backing From 322 MPs

Andy Burnham has moved closer to becoming the next Labour leader and UK prime minister after receiving overwhelming support from Labour MPs in the first round of leadership nominations.

The former Greater Manchester mayor has secured the backing of 322 of Labour’s 403 MPs, making him the only declared candidate in the race to replace Sir Keir Starmer.

Burnham is now just one nomination short of the 323 endorsements required to make it mathematically impossible for any rival to enter the contest. Several MPs who were unable to vote on Thursday have reportedly indicated they will support him once Parliament reconvenes.

If no other candidate joins the race, as widely expected, Burnham will be declared Labour leader next week and is set to take office as prime minister on 20 July.

His rapid rise follows his recent by-election victory in Makerfield, just weeks after leaving his role as Greater Manchester mayor.

In a statement, Burnham said he was “deeply grateful” to the Labour MPs who had nominated him, describing their backing as evidence of a broad desire for change.

He added that the support reflected a “shared belief that Britain needs a new approach to politics.”

“That is the circuit breaker I am offering: power out of Westminster, an economy rewired for ordinary people, and good growth in every postcode,” Burnham said.

Later on Thursday, Burnham made a light-hearted reference to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s decision to trigger a by-election in Clacton, where he will seek re-election. While Labour and the other major parties are boycotting the contest, satirical candidate Count Binface is standing.

Speaking at the Silver Clef Music Awards at London’s Royal Albert Hall, where he presented the Legend Award to Manchester band James, Burnham joked:

“The legends that we’re here to honour have not shied away from politics in their career, but I promise you, I am not going to talk politics to you tonight…

“Except to say this, ‘Count Binface, you are carrying the hopes of the nation. Don’t let us down.’”

Burnham’s by-election victory, combined with Labour’s disappointing performance in May’s local elections, intensified pressure on Sir Keir Starmer, prompting calls from within the party for him to step aside.

Starmer resigned as Labour leader on the same day Burnham was sworn in as an MP, saying he had concluded he was no longer “best placed to lead us into the next general election.”

Candidates have until next Wednesday to secure the backing of 81 Labour MPs to qualify for the leadership race. If Burnham reaches 323 nominations, no other contender will be able to meet that threshold.

In addition to parliamentary support, Burnham must secure nominations from at least three of Labour’s 31 affiliated trade unions and socialist societies, a requirement widely expected to be met without difficulty.

Should he remain the sole candidate, Burnham will become Labour leader without a vote by party members or affiliated union supporters and will move directly into Downing Street.

Burnham acknowledged his latest leadership bid on social media, joking it would be “hopefully third time lucky,” after unsuccessful campaigns in 2010 and 2015.

His path to an uncontested leadership was further strengthened after former Defence Minister Al Carns ruled himself out of the race on Wednesday.

Despite the strong backing, some Labour MPs have urged Burnham to provide greater detail on his policy agenda before taking office.

Having left Westminster in 2017, Burnham has had limited opportunities to build relationships with many of Labour’s newer MPs, who now make up most of the parliamentary party.

He is expected to take part in a parliamentary hustings on Monday, where Labour MPs will question him about his plans for government.

Burnham has also begun official access talks with senior civil servants, led by Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo, to prepare for a potential transition into government.

Speaking as nominations officially opened, Sir Keir Starmer expressed confidence in his successor.

“I have known him a long time, I’ve worked with him when I first came to Parliament, in his team directly,” Sir Keir said.

Last week, Burnham outlined parts of his vision for government, including proposals to establish a new No. 10 unit in Manchester aimed at devolving greater powers over housing and transport to local authorities.

He has also pledged to give communities across the UK “greater public control” over the water and energy sectors, although he has yet to explain how those proposals would be implemented.

In a video posted on X, Burnham apologised for Labour’s initial response to the war in Gaza, saying the party “didn’t get it right” and must improve under his leadership.

Writing in The Times, he also confirmed he intends to retain National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell and said he supports a “sustained increase” in defence spending while promising to be “more open with the public” about delays and cost overruns in military procurement.

One of Sir Keir Starmer’s final decisions as prime minister was to announce plans to increase defence spending by £15 billion over the next four years, with details of implementation left for his successor.