Arabic version: تأكيد انتخاب بورنهام زعيماً لحزب العمال ومن المتوقع أن يصبح رئيس وزراء المملكة المتحدة
Andy Burnham has been confirmed as Labour leader and is expected to become prime minister next week. According to ABC News, he received the backing of 379 MPs, and the only other person to be nominated against him, British-Australian MP Catherine West, got one vote.
The leadership vacancy followed the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer last month, two years after he led the party to a landslide election victory. Labour has 403 MPs, meaning prospective challengers needed at least 81 endorsements under party rules; Ms West did not reach that threshold and did not nominate herself. She was put forward by the MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, Neil Coyle, and she voted for Mr Burnham. Around two dozen Labour MPs, including Sir Keir, did not vote.
This change matters because it hands national leadership to a new prime minister at a time the source says Britain will see its seventh prime minister in 10 years. Mr Burnham has spoken about falling living standards and the need to rebuild political engagement, and he has pledged to decentralise power and pursue a “pro-business” approach.
Mr Burnham is a former long-time MP who served as a minister in the Brown and Blair governments and later became Mayor of Greater Manchester. He resigned the mayoralty earlier this year, returned to Westminster via a June by-election, and openly declared during his campaign he would challenge the prime minister if elected to the Commons. After being confirmed as leader he said, “I will work to build a new politics. The country is crying out for it,” and acknowledged he had not yet decided on his cabinet.
What happens next: In line with tradition, King Charles III is expected to invite Mr Burnham to form a government on Monday. Mr Burnham is due to take office next week as the new prime minister, and his initial choices for cabinet and policy priorities are awaited.
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