Andy Burnham on the verge of becoming U.K. PM

Former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is all but certain to be U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s successor after he secured the support of 322 of 403 Labour MPs to become the next occupant of No. 10 Downing Street and Labour Party leader.

The support of 81 MPs is needed to contest any internal election; Mr. Burnham was officially one MP short, as of Friday (July 10, 2026) afternoon, of ensuring that he would be the only candidate in the fray. Four other MPs had declared support for the former Mayor but had not officially nominated him, as per Labour List, a website that tracks news from the party. Mr. Burnham is expected to be appointed Labour leader by the end of next week and Prime Minister on July 20.

Mr. Burnham, who is from Labour’s ‘soft left’ and was elected three times to run Manchester, won a byelection in Makerfield on June 18 in order to return to Westminster, as support for Mr. Starmer within his party continued to evaporate.

Mr. Burnham thanked MPs for their support, saying it was indicative of a desire for a new approach to politics.

“That is the circuit breaker I am offering: power out of Westminster, an economy rewired for ordinary people, and good growth in every postcode,” he said in a statement on Thursday (July 9, 2026).

Burnham apologizes for Labour’s initial position on Gaza

Mr. Burnham also released a video message on Gaza on the same day.

“The unbearable suffering in Gaza is a scar on our collective conscience,” Mr. Burnham said, noting there was still a humanitarian crisis underway. He condemned Israel’s military for expanding the area it controls in Gaza. He also “strongly” condemned Hamas for the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, as well as condemning the increase in antisemitic attacks in the U.K.

“Labour’s initial response to the treatment of Gaza caused huge hurt. We got it wrong and I am sorry for that,” he said.

Mr. Burnham acknowledged that the Labour government had taken important steps such as recognising the Palestinian state, sanctioning some Israeli ministers and violent Israeli settlers, and had placed restrictions on arms exports. However, the U.K. was too slow to call for a ceasefire, he said.

The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “clearly attempting to make a [two-state solution] impossible”, Mr. Burnham said, calling for further responses from the U.K.

There is increasing evidence that war crimes were committed in Gaza, he said, adding that the international courts – and not politicians – should make a determination on this.

“There is no contradiction between a zero tolerance approach to antisemitism and holding the Netanyahu government to account,” Mr. Burnham said.