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

"With Keir Starmer under fire, it is Manchester's mayor who looks to be the key challenger. 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."

"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."

"Analysts say Burnham has appeal because of his apparent distance from the Westminster bubble. That perception was consolidated in February when, in a move seen by many as protecting a vulnerable Starmer, Labour's ruling Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) prevented Burnham from standing in the Manchester Gorton and Denton by-election, which was eventually won by the Green Party. Burnham, whose speech is peppered with northern colloquialisms, leans into his outsider status."

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester, is positioning himself as a challenger to Keir Starmer by seeking a parliamentary seat in Ashton-in-Makerfield. Supporters say he could be the best replacement by the Labour Party’s next annual conference in September. Labour faces pressure after missteps and a poor showing in early May local elections, while polls show Labour often trailing or coming second to the right-wing Reform party. Starmer is described as the most unpopular prime minister since polling began in the late 1970s. Burnham is portrayed as a popular “King of the North” figure with a soft-left stance and an outsider image beyond London politics. Analysts attribute his appeal to distance from Westminster, reinforced when Labour’s NEC blocked him from a Manchester by-election, which was won by the Green Party.

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