Burnham cements UK prime minister job
Hundreds of new endorsements from Labour MPs have cemented Andy Burnham’s path to be the United Kingdom’s next Prime Minister – including support from a surprise backer of the current PM.
Andy Burnham will be the next prime minister of the United Kingdom after receiving an extra 27 nominations from Labour MPs, taking his total to 349.
The additional nominations for the former Manchester Mayor, on top of the 322 he received last week, mean it is now impossible for any other candidate to gain the 81 endorsements needed to challenge for the Labour leadership.
While almost 80 per cent of the parliamentary Labour party formally nominated Burnham last week, extra endorsements on Monday took him over the line.
The extra nominations included backing from Communities Secretary Steve Reed, a key ally of current Prime Minister Keir Starmer whose popularity has plummeted.
Reed was the only member of the cabinet not to nominate Burnham last week – Shabana Mahmood and Anna Turley by convention will not nominate anyone because of their positions chairing Labour’s national executive committee and the party respectively.
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Starmer, as outgoing leader, also by convention does not take part.
Others who nominated Burnham on Monday included junior ministers Chris Bryant and Mike Tapp, former minister Jess Phillips and Richard Burgon, secretary of the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs.
As the only candidate to replace Starmer, Burnham is expected to formally take over the Labour leadership at a special party conference on Friday.
He will then become prime minister three days later, on July 20.
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Despite being the only candidate, Burnham is expected to take part in an online hustings with Labour MPs later on Monday.
Labour sources said Burnham would use the hustings to set out his priorities for the country including devolving power to communities, improving growth across the UK and tackling the cost of living.
He is expected to pledge to lead from the front on changing the culture within Labour, reiterating his promise to appoint cabinet ministers from across the party.
Burnham is also expected to begin the hustings with a tribute to former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe who died last week.
Counter terrorism police are now reportedly leading the investigation into the death of Widdecombe after “new information and evidence” came to light, officers have said.
A 28-year-old white British man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, originally arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday, has now been re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Widdecombe, a 78-year-old former Conservative minister turned Reform UK spokeswoman, was found dead at her home in Devon on Thursday, having sustained serious injuries.
Ahead of the hustings, Burnham tweeted that she had been the victim of an “appalling act of violence” and said the police “must be given the resources and space they need so justice can be done as quickly as possible”.
– with AAP
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