Andy Burnham has confirmed he will stand to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister, moving swiftly to formalise what had already become the dominant expectation inside Westminster. His announcement came as Wes Streeting released a full statement declaring he will back Burnham’s bid, arguing the party must unite behind a leader capable of defeating nationalism and reconnecting with voters across the country.
Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation came on the eve of the Brexit referendum’s 10th anniversary, closing a decade marked by political upheaval, churn and instability. In a charged Downing Street statement, the Prime Minister confirmed he will step aside as Labour leader and head of government. He has informed the King of his decision and asked Labour’s National Executive Committee to open leadership nominations on 9th July, with the process concluding before the summer recess. A new leader will be in place before Parliament returns in September. Until then, he will remain in post.
The announcement follows an extraordinary 48 hours in Westminster. Reports on Saturday suggested Starmer was preparing to set out a timetable for leaving office, after a marked shift in tone from Business Secretary Peter Kyle on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and growing unease across the parliamentary party. The silence from No. 10 was the clearest sign things had changed - Downing Street normally challenges anything it disputes. This time, it said nothing.
By the afternoon, Donald Trump had weighed in, declaring Starmer “will resign” in a post causing embarrassment inside No.10 at a moment of maximum sensitivity. Regardless of the official line, the mood had clearly shifted.
Pressure intensified through the weekend as The Independent reported Yvette Cooper had joined senior Cabinet colleagues including Ed Miliband, Shabana Mahmood and Heidi Alexander in urging Starmer to step aside. Reports suggested Burnham’s support surged after the Makerfield win, with allies claiming the original target of 200 MP nominations was already “in the dust” and that backing could approach 300, a level that would make any rival challenge far harder to mount. As one insider put it, No.10 had to decide quickly whether the Prime Minister would fight or go. By this morning, the answer was clear.
Burnham’s emphatic victory in the Makerfield by-election remains the decisive moment. Many Labour MPs saw it as the point at which Starmer’s leadership became unsustainable. Burnham defeated Reform UK by a wide margin and demonstrated he can reach voters Labour has struggled to hold. For MPs worried about Nigel Farage’s rise, Burnham now looks like the contender with a proven record. He will be sworn in as Makerfield’s MP today and is now formally in the race to succeed Starmer.
Streeting’s endorsement this morning has further consolidated that momentum. In his statement, he praised Burnham’s inclusivity, unity and ability to reconnect with voters, saying he was convinced there would be space for his own ideas, including a “new special relationship” with Europe, under Burnham’s leadership. He urged colleagues not to “exaggerate small differences” over the summer but to “roll up our sleeves” and help Burnham deliver the change the party needs.
Attention now turns to the shape of a Burnham government with one of the most sensitive, and pressing, questions being who he would appoint as Chancellor. Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood were previously seen as the main contenders, but Mahmood is now expected to remain at the Home Office. Miliband’s possible move to No.11 (the official home of the Chancellor) is causing unease among Labour MPs on the right of the party, who fear it would signal a shift to the left. Unite’s Sharon Graham has already urged Burnham not to appoint him, and business leaders share those concerns.
Beyond Labour, the Conservative-Reform relationship is also shifting. In the Mail on Sunday, Kemi Badenoch ruled out any pact with Reform UK, arguing Farage’s movement “dresses like Thatcherites but behaves like Corbynites”. She said the Conservatives must unite the country rather than the Right with her intervention reflecting a growing determination among senior Conservatives to distance themselves from Reform, even as the party continues to perform strongly in by-elections.
Meanwhile, Europe is watching closely. Reports this morning note Starmer’s timetable means he is still expected to attend Wednesday’s Berlin meeting of Europe’s top military powers, alongside Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, who is embroiled in a fresh public clash with Donald Trump. Coverage also highlighted renewed diplomatic activity in the Middle East, including calls between Lebanon’s president, US vice-president JD Vance, Jared Kushner and Qatar’s prime minister on consolidating the ceasefire.
Back at home, political shockwaves from Makerfield are being felt across the UK. In Wales, Labour figures frustrated with Starmer’s leadership now see Burnham as someone who can reconnect with voters lost to both Plaid Cymru and Reform. In Greater Manchester, the race to replace Burnham as Mayor is gathering pace: the Greens have selected Trafford councillor Geraldine Coggins, while Labour has yet to choose its candidate, though Bev Craig, the leader of Manchester city council, is widely seen as the frontrunner and Burnham’s long‑anticipated successor.
For now, Westminster is absorbing the sight of a prime minister stepping down less than two years after a landslide victory. Britain has entered a new political chapter, and the next few weeks will determine who leads the country into the Autumn.
Headlines
- Keir Starmer resigns as prime minister and leader of Labour Party - BBC News
- US and Iran make ‘progress’ in talks - The Financial Times
- Zelenskyy pledges to ‘bring war back to Russia’ after drones swarm toward Moscow - The Guardian
What's on in Parliament
Monday 22nd June
House of Commons
- Oral Questions: Education (including Topical Questions)
- Legislation: Armed Forces Bill: Remaining Stages
- Adjournment: British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme surplus sharing arrangements
House of Lords
- Oral Questions: Trials of new dementia treatments in the NHS
- Oral Questions: Promoting home ownership for first time buyers
- Legislation: Sporting Events Bill — Committee Stage (Day 1)
Tuesday 17th June
House of Commons
- Oral Questions: HM Treasury (including Topical Questions)
- Westminster Hall Debate: Safety in prisons
- Westminster Hall Debate: Role of Big Tech in society
House of Lords
- Oral Questions: Use of social media platform X (formerly Twitter) by government departments
- Legislation: National Security (State Threats) Bill — Second Reading
- Grand Committee: The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026
Wednesday 18th June
House of Commons
- Oral Questions: Women and Equalities (including Topical Questions)
- Prime Minister's Question Time
- Westminster Hall debate: North Sea oil and gas
House of Lords
- Oral Questions: Treating patients with resistant hypertensions
- Oral Questions: Legislation to introduce a close season for hares
- Legislation: Sporting Events Bill — Committee Stage (Day 2)
Thursday 19th June
House of Commons
- Oral Questions: Cabinet Office (including Topical Questions)
- Backbench Business: General debate on Windrush Day 2026
- Westminster Hall Debate: Ports and port connectivity
House of Lords
- Oral Questions: Reducing the level of unemployment of people with autism
- Debate: Imbalance between acute and primary and community healthcare services
Friday 20th June
Neither House is sitting and both will next sit on 29th June.
Consultations
- Draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement proposed amendments – Closes 1st September
- Reforming Consumer Protection for Home Upgrade Schemes – Closes 10th September
- Shaping the future of early years teaching – Closes 24th September
Statistics
- Monthly Sea Fisheries Statistics March 2026 – Last updated on 19th June
- Tables on homelessness – Last updated on 19th June
- Unclaimed estates list – Last updated on 19th June