Andy Burnham confirmed as Britain’s Labour Party leader, set to become new PM

London: Britain’s Labour Party announced Friday that Andy Burnham has been confirmed as its leader.

Burnham, former Mayor of Greater Manchester, is expected to be appointed prime minister on Monday after Keir Starmer formally steps down, in accordance with established procedure.

Speaking at the Trades Union Congress headquarters in central London, British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who also chairs Labour’s National Executive Committee, said Burnham had received nominations from 379 Labour lawmakers. As the only candidate to reach the required threshold, he was declared leader without a ballot of party members.

Burnham returned to parliament after winning the Makerfield by-election, whose result was declared on June 19. Starmer announced his resignation as Labour leader on June 22, saying he would remain Prime Minister until his successor was chosen, Xinhua news agency reported.

In his speech, Burnham recalled working with Keir Starmer about a decade ago to draft the original version of the Hillsborough law following the second Hillsborough inquest, drawing on Starmer’s legal expertise.

Burnham said Britain had taken a series of wrong turns since the 1980s, as political power became increasingly centralised while essential services such as housing, water, energy and transport were privatised.

He argued that this had driven up costs, concentrated wealth and power in fewer hands and left many former industrial towns without the authority to rebuild their economies.

“I will be a leader for the north, the south, the east and the west,” he said.

After having led the Labour Party to a massive election win in July 2024, the first in 14 years, Starmer faced criticism for the policies adopted by his government.

The number of MPs supporting Andy Burnham for the Labour leadership has increased after his triumphant victory in the Makerfield by-election.

IANS