On Monday, Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party, caved in to pressure from more than 100 of his party’s members of parliament and announced his resignation.

“A new leader will be in place before Parliament returns in September. I will remain in post until the contest is complete,” Mr Starmer, who led the party to a landslide electoral victory in 2024, said in an emotional broadcast at No. 10 Downing Street.

Mr Starmer’s resignation has now paved the way for Andy Burnham, his potential successor and journalist-turned-politician.

Born on January 7, 1970, in Liverpool and raised in Cheshire, Mr Burnham studied English at the University of Cambridge. He joined the Labour Party at the age of 15, rising through the ranks and serving as a researcher for Tessa Jowell from 1994 to 1997.

In 1998, Mr Burnham was a special adviser to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Chris Smith, before he was elected into the House of Commons in 2001.

Serving in different capacities from 2001 to 2009, Mr Burnham was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Education and election co-ordinator for the Labour Party in 2010. In 2010 and 2015, Mr Burnham contested the Labour Party leadership and was defeated on both occasions, first by Ed Miliband and then by Jeremy Corbyn.

However, his political career took a leap when he was elected mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017. He was re-elected in 2021 and 2024.

As mayor of Greater Manchester, Mr Burnham was lauded for the Bee Network initiative, which integrated Greater Manchester’s transport network, including bus, tram, cycling, and walking routes. 

He gained national fame and was christened “King of the North” for criticising then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson for focusing on London, demanding financial support for northern England during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Upon Josh Simons’ resignation as member of parliament for Makerfield in May 2026, Mr Burnham entered the race, winning the seat to become a major challenger to Mr Starmer, whose popularity had plummeted as over 100 members of parliament called for his resignation.

While Mr Starmer announced his resignation on Monday morning, Mr Burnham was sworn in as a Labour Party MP hours later.

After his swearing-in, Mr Burnham lauded Mr Starmer’s resignation, confirming he was interested in becoming the next prime minister.

He said, “Keir has given huge service to our country, and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period. His decision marks the beginning of a transition, and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.

“People want to see progress on economic growth, the cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never distract from the responsibility to improve people’s lives. The Labour movement has always been at its strongest when it looks forward with confidence and purpose. This is what we will do from here, and we will make sure this transition is a positive process of renewal for our party and our country.”

Mr Starmer now joins the list of UK leaders forced to resign before completing their parliamentary term amid a party crisis, while Mr Burnham looks ahead to managing UK affairs and turbulent party politics.