Andy Burnham to Lead Labour Party After Keir Starmer Resignation

Andy Burnham was sworn into Parliament hours after Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday. Burnham is the only candidate for leadership of the Labour Party and is expected to take office as prime minister on July 17 if no additional candidates enter the race.

Burnham served as mayor of Greater Manchester before entering Parliament. He has said he will maintain the current government’s spending and borrowing limits while seeking to revive economic growth.

Burnham has promoted a platform described as Manchesterism that favors private investment in public projects and greater local control over housing, utilities, transportation, and education. He has pledged not to raise taxes on workers and has suggested easing the tax burden on businesses.

The government under Starmer had pledged to reach a NATO target of 3.5 percent of GDP on defense spending by 2035.

Trump described Burnham this week as a town mayor and said he understood Burnham to be extremely liberal and unlikely to expand North Sea oil drilling. Burnham has previously criticized Trump following the January 6, 2021, Capitol events.

Burnham has spoken of replacing the House of Lords with an elected senate and introducing proportional representation.