LONDON
\nAndy Burnham, Britain\u2019s newest lawmaker and likely its next prime minister, was meeting Labour colleagues on Tuesday in preparation for a leadership contest in which he may be the only contender.
\nBurnham is the strong front-runner to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who announced Monday that he will step down within weeks after two years in office marred by missteps and judgment errors that eroded his standing with party and public.
\nBurnham, a former Cabinet minister who served since 2017 as mayor of Greater Manchester, won a special election last week for a seat in Parliament with the express aim of challenging Starmer for the leadership. Burnham\u2019s chances got a big boost on Monday when former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who was considered his main rival, announced his support.
\nBritain\u2019s parliamentary system allows governing parties to change leaders \u2014 and thus prime ministers \u2014 without the need for a national election. The next general election does not have to be held until 2029.Nominations for the Labour leadership will open July 9 and close a week later. If Burnham is the only contender, he could be prime minister by July 17.
\nIf there is a contest, the winner should be in place by the time Parliament returns from its summer break on Sept. 1.Burnham\u2019s economic plans are not yet known Burnham was a popular mayor of Manchester, overseeing a period of rapid regeneration for the city where the Industrial Revolution was forged, and has pledged to repeat his signature brand of \u201cManchesterism\u201d on a national scale.
\nMany Labour members hope Burnham\u2019s people skills and charisma can connect with the public more than the stolid, managerial Starmer could ever do.But his policies in many areas are unknown and untested. Some Labour lawmakers want to see a party election contest where he would face public debate and scrutiny. Burnham is expected to make a speech next week outlining some of his economic plans.
\nFormer Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, who quit this month to protest what he saw as inadequate defense spending, said \u201cwe need to have a clear and concize discussion about what this country wants to be.\u201d He has suggested he might run for the leadership but told broadcaster ITV that \u201cI\u2019m not ready to make a decision on this in any way, shape or form.\u201d
\nOthers have suggested Darren Jones, a senior Cabinet minister and Starmer ally, should run, though he has yet to comment. Potential candidates need the support of at least 81 Labour lawmakers, a fifth of the parliamentary party, to run.Many argue that a leadership contest will only focus attention on the party\u2019s internal divisions and extend a period of political uncertainty.
\n\u201cI think the transition should be swift and orderly,\u201d Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told the media. Starmer won a landslide but stumbled in office Starmer resigned on Monday after a weekend considering his future, acknowledging that the Labour Party no longer thinks \u201cI am best placed to lead us into the next general election.\u201d
\nHe was the sixth prime minister in a decade to stand outside No. 10 Downing St. and announce a departure. It comes as Britain marks the 10th anniversary of its vote to leave the European Union, a decision that still roils the country\u2019s economy and politics.
\nAfter weeks of insisting he would fight to keep his job, Starmer conceded to growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government\u2019s flagging fortunes. He led Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024, but since then his popularity and that of the party have plummeted.
\nStarmer has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living. He has been hamstrung by repeated missteps, including his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as UK ambassador to the United States.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LONDON Andy Burnham, Britain\u2019s newest lawmaker and likely its next prime minister, was meeting Labour colleagues on Tuesday in preparation for a leadership contest in which he may be the only contender. Burnham is the strong front-runner to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who announced Monday that he will step down within weeks after two […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":552821,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-552799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n