Almost There: Burnham Set to Become Britain's Next PM Without a Fight

Nominations opened Thursday in the Labour Party contest to replace Keir Starmer as Britain’s prime minister , with Andy Burnham on course to become leader unopposed. The former Greater Manchester mayor must secure signatures from 81 of Labour’s 402 MPs to make the ballot, a threshold he is expected to clear comfortably after around 200 Labour MPs had already backed him by June 20.

The last potential rival, former Defence Minister Al Carns , ruled himself out late Wednesday, saying months of internal Labour politics “isn’t what the country needs right now” and pledging his full support to Burnham. Carns, a former Royal Marines officer, had resigned from the Ministry of Defence in June following a dispute with Starmer over military spending.

Wes Streeting , the former health secretary once viewed as Burnham’s main rival, had already endorsed him.

Nominations will close on July 16 . If no challenger emerges, Burnham is expected to be confirmed as Labour leader at a special party conference on July 17 and will become prime minister after meeting King Charles III on July 20.

Burnham, popularly nicknamed the “King of the North” after winning three consecutive Greater Manchester mayoral elections, returned to Parliament last month by winning the Makerfield by-election , a move seen as clearing his path to the leadership after Labour rules prevented him from contesting an earlier seat.

Keir Starmer announced his resignation on June 22 , the same day Burnham was sworn in as an MP, ending a two-year tenure marked by political setbacks and declining support among Labour members and the public. His controversial decisions, including the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington , further damaged his standing.

Burnham has pledged to revive economic growth through “Manchesterism” , his approach of combining public and private investment in transport, housing and infrastructure. He has also promised fiscal discipline and continuity on foreign policy, including Britain’s commitment to NATO, its nuclear deterrent and support for Ukraine .

Many Labour MPs see Burnham as the party’s strongest option to regain support from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK , which has led national opinion polls for more than a year, although the gap has recently narrowed. The next UK general election is not expected until 2029 .