Britain Politics
Andy Burnham with colleagues from the Parliamentary Labour Party in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament in central London, as he returns to the House of Commons to take up his seat after winning the Makerfield by-election, Monday June 22, 2026.
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Andy Burnham is preparing for a Labour leadership contest that could make him Britain's prime minister within weeks. Burnham is the strong front-runner to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who announced Monday he will step down. Burnham, a former Cabinet minister and mayor of Greater Manchester, won a special election last week for a seat in Parliament, with the aim of challenging Starmer. Nominations for Labour leadership open July 9 and close a week later. If Burnham is the only contender, he could be prime minister by July 17. Some Labour members want a contest to scrutinize his policies, which remain largely unknown.