Who is Andy Burnham King of the North set to take over UK's Game of Thrones?

British politics seems to have found its own version of a Game of Thrones storyline. Andy Burnham, the Labour politician known as the "King of the North", who returned to Westminster after winning the Makerfield by-election, could be the next British Prime Minister.

Following Keir Starmer's announcement on Monday that he would resign as both Prime Minister and Labour Party leader, attention has turned to a potential successor. Among the names emerging as a frontrunner is Andy Burnham is widely seen as a possible replacement for Starmer, according to the BBC.

Burnham, who returned to Parliament last week after winning the Makerfield by-election, is one of Labour's most recognisable figures. His victory marks a return to the House of Commons after nearly a decade spent governing Greater Manchester as its mayor.

Fifty-six-year-old Burnham emerged as a rallying figure for Labour members and supporters seeking an alternative to Starmer's leadership. Many view him as a potential contender for the party's top job.

His reputation as a champion of northern England, built during clashes with the Conservative government during the Covid-19 pandemic, have him a pan-national political identity, beyond his constituency.

His supporters see him as a politician who can reconnect Labour with working-class voters and areas that often feel ignored by London. Critics, however, question whether the "King of the North" could translate into national leadership.

For now, Burnham's return would inject fresh intrigue into British politics. Labour party is facing internal tensions and a declining popularity. At this juncture, the question is whether the "King of the North" can claim the Iron Throne of British politics and, unlike several of his recent predecessors, remain there long enough to leave a lasting mark.

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Andrew Murray Burnham was born in January 1970, in Merseyside, northwest England.

A long-time Labour politician, Burnham served as MP for Leigh from 2001 to 2017. During that period, he held several senior cabinet positions under former prime minister Gordon Brown, including Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Culture Secretary and Health Secretary.

Burnham twice sought the Labour leadership, first in 2015 following Labour's defeat to the Conservatives and again in 2017. He was unsuccessful on both occasions.

Rather than remaining in Westminster, he chose a different path. In 2017, he became the first directly elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, a position that transformed his political profile.

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