LONDON — Andy Burnham was confirmed as Labour Party leader on Thursday, clearing the way for him to become Britain's next prime minister. Burnham will succeed Keir Starmer on Monday, 20 July, when he is expected to meet the King to form a government.
Burnham was the only qualified candidate in the contest, securing the backing of 379 of Labour's 403 MPs along with support from trade unions. His leadership was formally proclaimed at a party conference in London. The leadership race began on 9 July after Starmer announced his resignation on 22 June.
The transition follows Starmer's departure from both the premiership and the party leadership. Burnham had won a parliamentary by-election on 18 June to regain a seat, a prerequisite for his leadership bid.