Why Allies Are So Certain We're Heading For An Andy Burnham Coronation

The Makerfield MP was only sworn in on Monday but already looks set to be the next PM.

Political Correspondent

Andy Burnham is likely to run uncontested to be the UK’s next prime minister, according to the Makerfield MP’s allies.

Keir Starmer decided to resign on Monday after acknowledging “with good grace” that the parliamentary Labour Party did not want him to lead them into the next general election.

The prime minister had said he would join any contest after his greatest rival won a comfortable victory in the Makerfield by-election last week.

But support for the former Greater Manchester mayor snowballed over the weekend and even Starmer’s own cabinet ministers urged him to resign.

Shortly after his statement, ex-health secretary Wes Streeting – who had vowed to run in a leadership contest – rowed in behind Burnham, too.

Though nominations for the leadership contest do not open until July 9, the Makerfield MP is the only one who has publicly declared his plan to run.

Burnham posed for a selfie with a staggering number of his Labour colleagues in Westminster Hall on Monday afternoon, demonstrating how much support he had even from his first day back in........

© HuffPost