Andy Burnham to become UK prime minister after MP backing

Andy Burnham is poised to become the United Kingdom's next prime minister after securing overwhelming support from Labour members of Parliament, effectively guaranteeing his succession without a formal leadership contest. Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, received nominations from 322 of the party's 403 MPs on Thursday, July 9, the first day of the nomination period. With only one more nomination needed to reach the threshold that would block any rival, and with the last plausible contender having withdrawn, Burnham is all but certain to be formally declared Labour leader on July 17 and to assume the premiership on July 20.

The rapid political return for Burnham, who re-entered Parliament less than a month ago, follows the resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer after Labour's poor performance in local elections in May. In a video statement, Burnham said the support from across the Parliamentary Labour Party reflected a shared belief that Britain needs a new approach, and he outlined a vision focused on devolving power, rewiring the economy, and fostering growth in every region.

Concurrently, Burnham has used one of his first major policy interventions...