UK Labour leadership frontrunner Andy Burnham sworn in as MP

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The frontrunner to be the UK’s next prime minister, Andy Burnham, was sworn in as a member of parliament Monday, a key step in his bid to replace Keir Starmer.

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Starmer announced his resignation as prime minister on Monday after fewer than two years in office, as calls mounted for the unpopular leader to step down after Burnham won a vital by-election last week.

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Burnham could be installed in 10 Downing Street in just over three weeks after would-be rival Wes Streeting said he was backing the ex-Manchester mayor for the premiership.

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Starmer’s voice cracked during an emotional speech outside his official residence, as he conceded he had lost the support of his Labour party MPs after just two years in office.

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He said he had informed head of state King Charles III of his decision to resign so that a new Labour leader, and therefore prime minister, could be elected.

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“I will remain in post as prime minister until the contest is complete, and I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power,” Starmer said, choking back tears when he thanked his wife Victoria and two children.

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Starmer said he had asked Labour’s National Executive Committee to set out a timetable for his replacement, with nominations due to open on July 9 before closing on July 16.

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If Burnham is unchallenged, then he is likely to become prime minister on either July 17 or 18, UK media said, just days before a crunch summit UK-European Union summit in Brussels on July 22.

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Starmer — well-respected abroad for his involvement in supporting Ukraine, NATO, opposing the United States on Iran and pushing closer ties with Brussels — returned Labour to power after 14 years in opposition with a landslide general election victory over the Conservatives in July 2024.

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But his premiership quickly became characterised by domestic policy U-turns, deep public unpopularity, ministerial resignations and a scandal over his ill-fated decision to appoint a known associate of late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as the UK’s ambassador to Washington.

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His domestic authority all-but evaporated after Labour endured a drubbing in local and regional elections in May, with clamour growing for Burnham to replace him.

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Labour lawmakers ultimately decided Starmer is incapable of fighting off the rise of the hard-right anti-immigration Reform UK party, which leads national opinion polls.

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He had vowed to fight any leadership challenge, but several senior ministers reportedly told him the game was up after Burnham won a parliamentary by-election last week, allowing him to run for leader.

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Burnham, a former Labour minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown who has been mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017, travelled to London by train Monday — a journey tracked by TV cameras in helicopters.

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Burnham, who has twice failed to become Labour leader previously, then took up his seat in the House of Commons, ditching his trademark black t-shirt for a suit and tie.

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During his resignation speech, Starmer said he accepted “with good grace” the view of Labour lawmakers that he should not lead them into the next general election, expected in 2029.

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“Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” he added, as senior ministerial colleagues looked on.

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Starmer hugged his wife after finishing his speech, which a prominent anti-Brexit campaigner tried to drown out by playing the European Union anthem “Ode to Joy” from a nearby street.

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Energy minister Ed Miliband praised Starmer’s “great dignity”, while EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said he had made European and Ukrainian security “stronger”.

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Burnham called for “orderly and responsible” transition, writing on X: “I will put myself forward as part of this process.”

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Quickly afterwards, former health secretary Streeting, who previously said he would join a leadership race, instead suggested Burnham could become leader without any formal contest.

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Streeting said he had spoken to Burnham in recent days and was convinced he “can win the fight of our lives against the forces of nationalism”.

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Burnham would likely face questions about the extent of his mandate, with Reform leader Nigel Farage swiftly calling for a snap general election.

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Burnham, from the so-called soft-left wing of Labour, defied national trends by easily beating the hard-right, populist Reform UK party’s candidate in Makerfield.

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But he has provided little detail about his plans for government if he wins power, causing concern among some MPs.

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UK media say he intends to replace finance minister Rachel Reeves, while retaining interior minister Shabana Mahmood.

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Starmer had promised stability and economic growth after the Conservatives churned through five prime ministers following the 2016 Brexit referendum, with its tenth anniversary falling on Tuesday.

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“I still don’t have much confidence in the government, so fingers crossed he (Burnham) gets it right,” 27-year-old store worker Lauren Kenworthy told AFP in Manchester.

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AFP

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