The date Andy Burnham could be crowned Prime Minister has been confirmed | Politics | News

The date on which Andy Burnham could be crowned Prime Minister has been confirmed after Labor took the first step in the race to replace Sir Keir Starmer. The push for the keys to No 10 was triggered by Sir Keir announcing his resignation just days after Mr Burnham returned to Parliament.

Mr Burnham, who romped to victory in the Makerfield by-election last week, is the top-ranked candidate with no challengers yet daring to challenge him. Now Labour’s powerful ruling body, the National Executive Committee, has laid out what will happen next. Meanwhile, lame duck Sir Keir will continue as Labor leader and Prime Minister until he is declared the winner.

Mr Burnham will be elected as the new Prime Minister on July 16 if he is the only person to enter the Labor leadership race.

This is the day nominations close and we will know for sure by the end of July 16 whether Mr Burnham is the only candidate. This will automatically make him the winner and our new Prime Minister. A special Labor Party conference will then be held on 17 July.

However, if there is more than one candidate, a full contest will be held and a vote of party activists will take place and the winner will be determined at a special Labor Party conference on 29 August.

The full schedule of the leadership contest is below:

Labor MPs can put themselves or another party member forward. They then need to collect 80 signatures from their fellow green benches (and nominate themselves for a total of 81 signatures) to clear the first hurdle, as well as the support of at least two union members or 5% of the local Labor Party.

Party members will vote if they have had a card for at least six months. But the field is already opening up, with Darren Jones and Wes Streeting knocking them out and Mr Streeting promising to back the former Manchester Mayor into 10th place.