LONDON — Andy Burnham was sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday after winning the Makerfield by-election last week, formally returning to the House of Commons as he prepared to enter the Labour Party leadership race following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation.
Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester and a longtime Labour figure, took the parliamentary oath during proceedings at Westminster, according to reports from British media and Labour officials. His return to Parliament removes a key procedural obstacle to seeking the leadership of the governing party and, potentially, the office of prime minister.
Later on Monday, Burnham confirmed that he would seek the Labour leadership after Starmer announced he would step down as party leader and remain prime minister only until a successor is chosen. “I will put myself forward as part of this process,” Burnham said in a statement published on social media and reported by news organizations.
Starmer’s decision followed months of pressure within Labour and declining political support. The party is expected to publish a timetable for the leadership contest, with nominations scheduled to open in July, according to statements from party officials and media reports.
Burnham won the Makerfield seat in a by-election held on June 18, returning to Parliament after nearly a decade outside the House of Commons. The contest was triggered when Labour lawmaker Josh Simons resigned, saying he wanted to make way for Burnham to seek a parliamentary seat. Burnham had previously served as a cabinet minister and twice ran unsuccessfully for the Labour leadership.
Support for Burnham's candidacy gathered momentum on Monday when former health secretary Wes Streeting announced that he would not seek the leadership and would instead back Burnham. Streeting described Burnham as a figure capable of uniting the party and leading the government through a period of political uncertainty.
Not all Labour members have endorsed a rapid transition. Some party figures have argued that a competitive leadership contest should proceed under existing rules, while others have called for a smooth handover to avoid prolonged uncertainty. Details of the final candidate field remain unclear.
As of Monday evening, Burnham had been sworn in as an MP and had formally declared his intention to seek the Labour leadership. Labour officials said further details of the selection process would be announced in the coming weeks, while Starmer remained in office in a caretaker capacity pending the outcome of the contest.
