Keir Starmer to quit as Andy Burnham launches Labour leadership bid

London,UPDATED: Jun 22, 2026 17:26 IST

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he no longer has the support of Labour MPs and will step down once the party chooses a new leader, a process that could be completed as early as the middle of July. He said he would remain prime minister until a successor is in place.

Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, has confirmed that he will run for the Labour leadership. Burnham is seen as the front-runner after his decisive victory last week in the special election in Makerfield in northwest England, which set in motion Starmer’s resignation.

In a statement outside 10 Downing Street, Starmer did not mention Burnham by name, but said “with good grace” that he was not the best person to lead Labour into the next general election. That election does not have to be held until 2029, but parties in British politics can change leaders during a parliamentary term without triggering a general election.

Burnham, 56, arrived in London on Monday and was to be sworn in as an MP after nearly a decade away from Parliament, during which he served as the mayor of Greater Manchester. Soon after Starmer’s statement, he said he would run for leader. He said Starmer’s decision to step down “marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way.” He added: “The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get.”

Starmer said Labour’s national executive committee will open nominations on July 9. If Burnham is the only candidate, he could be confirmed as party leader about a week later. If there is a contest, the election is likely to continue into September.

Burnham’s support has grown despite Labour’s poor poll ratings and heavy losses in local elections in May. In Makerfield, he defeated the candidate of the anti-immigration Reform UK party and also drew support from other left-leaning parties. Labour’s vote share rose to nearly 55 per cent.

Wes Streeting, who quit as health secretary last month and had earlier suggested he might run, said he would back Burnham. Streeting said Burnham “can win the fight of our lives against the forces of nationalism”, referring to Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, which has moved ahead of Labour in opinion polls since the July 2024 general election. “We could spend the summer exaggerating small differences, or we can roll up our sleeves and help him to deliver the change our party and our country needs,” Streeting said.

Other possible contenders have not yet commented on Starmer’s announcement. They include Starmer’s former deputy Angela Rayner, who resigned last September over an unpaid property tax, and Al Carns, who resigned last week as armed forces minister over Starmer’s funding plans for national defence. Many in Labour believe it would be best if nobody challenged Burnham so that he could move into 10 Downing Street this summer before the party conference. Burnham did not say whether he would prefer an uncontested path to the leadership as he travelled from Manchester to London.

Any candidate entering the contest must first secure the backing of one-fifth of Labour’s MPs in the House of Commons, or 81 lawmakers. Those who cross that mark must then win the support of 5 per cent of local constituency parties, or at least three party affiliates such as trade unions and co-operative societies. Eligible party members and affiliates would then vote using a ranked ballot system, and the winner must secure more than 50 per cent of the vote. The successful candidate would then be invited by King Charles III to become prime minister and form a government.

Starmer’s decision has opened the way for a Labour leadership contest that Burnham is currently leading, with the timing depending on whether he faces opposition. Until a successor is chosen, Starmer will remain prime minister.

With PTI Inputs

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