Andy Burnham will today become Britain’s next prime minister after he succeeded Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader.
The fast-paced sequence of events will see the former Manchester mayor in office just under a month after Sir Keir announced his intention to stand down.
Mr Burnham first had to become a Labour MP – and then the party leader – to move into Number 10. But with all other potential challengers stepping aside for the veteran politician, his path was surprisingly clear.
Labour MPs were invited to nominate their new leader between 9 and 16 July. By close of the contest, Mr Burnham had received 379 out of 403 nominations (94 per cent) – making it mathematically impossible for any other challenger to receive the required 20 per cent to stand against him.
This means the timeline for Mr Burnham to become prime minister is much shorter than anticipated.
Here’s how today’s schedule will pan out:
On Monday, Sir Keir will meet with King Charles to formally offer his resignation as prime minister, likely at Buckingham Palace.
Mr Burnham will then meet the King shortly after, when the monarch will ask him to form a government.
After this, the former Manchester mayor will likely travel to Number 10 to make a speech marking the beginning of his government.
The highly-anticipated cabinet reshuffle should also be revealed on this day, as Mr Burnham confirms his top team to help deliver his ambitious political vision.
How did we get here?
It has been a whirlwind chain of events that has seen Sir Keir toppled to make way for the ‘King of the North’. Here’s a rundown of what has happened so far:
May 7 – Labour’s disastrous local elections
Voters go to the polls across England. Labour suffers massive losses, losing control of 38 councils to surging Reform UK and Green support.
This devastating night triggers a Labour leadership crisis, with four junior ministers resigning, followed by former health secretary Wes Streeting.
May 14 – A Westminster opening
Josh Simons resigns his Makerfield seat in Parliament specifically to trigger a by-election, clearing the path for Burnham to attempt a return to Westminster.
June 18 – Burnham wins in Makerfield
Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election with a massive majority of over 9,000 votes, officially ending his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester and returning to the House of Commons.
June 22 – Starmer announces resignation
Citing a lack of confidence from his MPs, Sir Keir announces his intention to resign as Labour leader and prime minister, triggering the leadership contest.
July 17 – New Labour leader announced
On Friday, Mr Burnham was officially confirmed as Labour leader in a special conference at around midday.
He said that he will be “unashamedly Labour” as leader and prime minister, and that his government will have the “courage to fix the big things that politics has neglected” and the “conviction to argue for our plans”.
“We are united and we put the power that comes from that unity at the service of people and places who have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again,” he said.
“That’s what we’re going to do, everybody. We’re going to give them hope back.”
Sir Keir spent his final day as Labour leader in Ukraine, where he met with President Vladimir Zelensky. Speaking to Sky News from the country, he said “I go with pride,” adding that he felt he had “saved the Labour Party” by making it electable again.
July 20 - Burnham becomes prime minister
At around 11.15am on Monday, Sir Keir will give his last speech to Downing Street before heading to Buckingham Palace to formally resign.
Mr Burnham will then meet with the King to “kiss hands” and be appointed prime minister.
He is due to arrive at No 10 at around 12.40pm to give his first address as Britain’s leader.
The former Manchester mayor is expected to promise to give people “breathing room” against the cost of living and urge for honesty around the challenges that the country faces.
He will also stress the need for more responsible politics, saying he is “acutely conscious” that there has been seven prime ministers in the last decade.
In the afternoon, Mr Burnham will reveal who he has selected for his top team. He has promised a cabinet that will “lift up a more united Britain” and is said to be considering either Ed Miliband or Shabana Mahmood for chancellor.
During his first week in office, Mr Burnham is hoping to announce policies aimed at making people’s lives easier and battle the cost of living crisis.
