Labour Party Opens Nominations to Replace Keir Starmer as Prime Minister

Nominations opened Thursday in a Labour Party election to replace Keir Starmer as Britain’s prime minister. The contest is expected to have just one candidate. Former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham will collect signatures from Labour lawmakers and needs at least 80 to run.

Former Defense Minister Al Carns confirmed late Wednesday that he will not challenge Burnham. “I’d hoped a leadership contest would give us the opportunity for a proper debate,” Carns said in a statement. “But months of internal Labour politics isn’t what the country needs right now.

We’ve got to get on with the job. ” Nominations remain open until July 16. Burnham is highly likely to be announced as the new Labour leader on July 17 and to become prime minister after a meeting with King Charles III on July 20.

Starmer announced last month that he would resign as soon as his party chose a successor. He was elected in a landslide in July 2024 but quit after two years in office. Burnham spent almost a decade running Manchester before returning to Parliament by winning a special election last month.

He stated Britain will remain a firm ally of the United States and a strong supporter of Ukraine. ’s Labour Party would win the most seats in a general election, according to the first detailed poll carried out since Starmer cleared a path for Burnham to succeed him.