Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Manchester and newly elected Member of the British Parliament, has announced that he will stand as a candidate for the post of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
On social media platform X, he also commented on Keir Starmer’s announcement of his resignation, thanking him “for his leadership and dedication during such a difficult period”.
“Going forward, our priority must be to work together to get the country back to where we all want it to be. People want to see progress in economic growth, the cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation,” he wrote.
On 22 June, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his intention to step down as Prime Minister and as leader of the Labour Party. The name of the new Prime Minister will be announced in September.
As reported by the Observer, citing sources, the day before the resignation announcement, Starmer was facing increasing pressure from the Labour Party leadership, including members of his own cabinet. A growing number of MPs are backing Manchester’s mayor, Andy Burnham, as the next Labour leader and prime minister.
However, according to media reports, Starmer is unlikely to step down as early as 22 June. He is expected to remain Prime Minister for the coming weeks, during which his successor will be chosen. It is unclear whether the election for the new party leader will involve several candidates or whether Burnham will receive sufficient support to be immediately declared Starmer’s successor.