‘King of the North’: Who is Andy Burnham, a potential UK prime minister?

With UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer under pressure from within his own party to announce his resignation, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has announced an ambitious plan of his own – to win a parliamentary seat in the northern English town Ashton-in-Makerfield. According to his supporters, he is the best candidate to replace Starmer by the time of the Labour Party’s next annual conference in September. Recommended Stories list of 4 items end of list Many in the party are hungry for a change following a series of missteps, culminating in a disastrous showing in local elections in early May. Despite winning an overwhelming majority in the 2024 general election, Labour languishes in the polls , often coming second to the right-wing Reform party. According to Ipsos, Starmer is the most unpopular prime minister since it began polling began in the late 1970s. Burnham is one of the party’s most popular politicians, dubbed the “King of the North” in the press and a soft left contender from outside of the London political elite. According to The Times , Burnham’s rivals for the top job, including the incumbent, Keir Starmer, are reportedly being asked to stand aside should the 56-year-old mayor win a by-election. …