Andy Burnham Confirms Bid To Become Britain’s Leader as Starmer Resigns

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party rival, Andy Burnham, is confirming his bid to become the next party leader upon arriving at London to take up a seat in Parliament.Mr. Starmer announced on Monday he will step down as party leader but will stay in place until a new leader is selected. He expects that process to begin next month, with the new leader to be in place by the time Parliament returns from a summer recess in September.“The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get,” Mr. Burnham said in an X post. “As we move forward, our priority must be to work together to get the country back to where we all want it to be.”Mr. Starmer had vowed to fight to stay in office but concluded after weekend meetings that he had lost too much party support to continue.Mr. Starmer led the Labour Party to a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, becoming prime minister after 14 years of Conservative rule. But the party has struggled since and took a drubbing in local and regional elections last month.“Every decision I’ve taken is about putting the country I love first,” Mr. Starmer said in an emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street. “I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power.”Mr. Burnham — until last week the mayor of Manchester — is considered the party’s most popular politician. He was sworn in Monday to represent Makerfield in the House of Commons after winning an election last week to fill a vacant seat. Only a member of the House can be prime minister.A former health secretary, Wes Streeting, cleared Mr. Burnham’s path to the leadership by saying he will back the former mayor. Mr. Streeting resigned from the government after the last elections saying he had lost confidence in Mr. Starmer’s leadership and had suggested he would compete for the role.“We could spend the summer exaggerating small differences, or we can roll up our sleeves and help him to deliver the change our Party and our country needs,” Mr. Streeting said in a letter posted on X.The Reform Party leader, Nigel Farage, is calling for a general election. “Reform demands an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change, Mr. Farage said in an X post. “If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming,” he continued.The Conservative Party is not calling for elections but is questioning why Mr. Starmer is setting up an extended process to pick a new leader. “What are we waiting for?” Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told reporters. “There are critical decisions that need to be made and the prime minister is setting up his farewell tour while Andy Burnham wants a summer holiday.”Mr. Starmer leaves office after serving a little more than two years. His replacement will become the fifth prime minister in five years.

Andy Burnham Confirms Bid To Become Britain’s Leader as Starmer Resigns

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