Who Is Andy Burnham? The Man Who Could Replace Keir Starmer

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that he is quitting as prime minister and leader of the Labour Party. As Starmer steps down, it creates an opportunity for Andy Burnham to take over as Labour Party leader. If Labour remains in power, Burnham could then become Britain's next prime minister.

Who is Andy Burnham?

Andy Burnham is a senior British Labour politician who has served as the Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. Born in Liverpool in January 1970, Burnham grew up in northwest England and joined the Labour Party when he was just 15. He later studied English at the University of Cambridge before starting his political career.

Burnham was first elected to Parliament in 2001. During the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, he held several senior positions, including jobs in the Home Office, the Treasury and the Department of Health. He became Culture Secretary in 2008 and was promoted to Health Secretary in 2009. 

He was in charge of England's National Health Service (NHS). He also made two unsuccessful attempts to become Labour leader, losing first to Ed Miliband in 2010 and then to Jeremy Corbyn in 2015.

In 2017, Burnham left Parliament to become the first elected Mayor of Greater Manchester. During his time as mayor, he focused on issues such as public transport, housing and jobs. He also earned the nickname "King of the North" during the COVID-19 pandemic after he repeatedly challenged the UK government over support for northern England. The nickname is inspired by the hit TV series Game of Thrones.

In 2026, Burnham returned to Parliament as the MP for Makerfield. The closest challenger was Reform UK, but the party finished more than 9,000 votes behind Labour. In the 2024 general election, Labour had won about 45% of the vote in Makerfield. Under Burnham's candidacy, that figure rose to nearly 55%.