Andy Burnham set for No. 10 after Labour leadership win
Labour named Andy Burnham as its new leader after he ran unopposed to replace Keir Starmer, putting him on course to become U.K. prime minister next week.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
2 min read
Andy Burnham has been declared leader of Britain’s governing Labour Party, setting him up to take over as U.K. prime minister next week, according to CBS News.
The party announced the leadership result Friday after a contest to replace outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Burnham was the only candidate in the race, CBS News reported.
The outcome had little suspense by the time Labour made it official. By Thursday night, Burnham had received nominations from 379 of Labour’s 403 lawmakers in the House of Commons, according to CBS News.
A fast track to Downing Street
Burnham, a center-left politician and former mayor of Greater Manchester, has been treated as prime minister-in-waiting for weeks, CBS News reported. His formal election as Labour leader clears the last party hurdle before he enters 10 Downing Street.
Starmer’s exit follows weeks of pressure inside British politics after Labour performed poorly in local elections in early May, according to CBS News.
CBS News reported that Burnham remains a relatively unfamiliar figure to voters outside Manchester and has so far offered limited detail about the policy agenda he would bring to national office.
Trump criticism in the background
Burnham has previously criticized President Trump, accusing the American leader of bringing “instability” to the world, according to CBS News.
His elevation comes at a high-speed moment for Labour, with the governing party shifting from Starmer to Burnham without a competitive leadership ballot. Labour’s announcement confirms the political handover inside the party, while the prime ministerial change is expected next week, CBS News reported.
The leadership result also puts a former city-region mayor at the top of British government. Burnham’s political base has been Greater Manchester, and CBS News reported that he will arrive in Downing Street with many voters beyond that area still getting to know him.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.