Veteran politician Andy Burnham took another step towards becoming the UK’s next prime minister on Thursday as nominations to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader formally opened.
The 56-year-old is the only Labour member of parliament to have publicly said he is a candidate to succeed Starmer, who announced he was quitting last month.
Burnham will need to show that he has the support of 81 of Labour’s 402 MPs to become a formal candidate, a tally that he is expected to surpass easily.
All eyes will be on whether an alternative candidate can muster the required support to challenge Burnham, nicknamed the “King of the North” for winning three consecutive Greater Manchester mayoral elections.
If no one sparks a contest, then Burnham will be crowned Labour leader — and prime minister in waiting — at a special conference on July 17.
