Which Labour MPs and ministers are backing Andy Burnham to replace Keir Starmer?

Sir Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as prime minister just days after Andy Burnham – seen by many as his likely leadership successor – won the decisive contest to become Makerfield’s next MP.

Standing outside Number 10 on the same day that Mr Burnham will travel to Westminster to be sworn in as an MP, the outgoing Labour leader said: “Walking up this street two years ago was the proudest moment of my life”.

He added: “The chance to change the lives of millions of people for the better. That’s what I came into politics for.”

Sir Keir outlined that he has asked Labour’s government body to allow nominations for a new leader to open on 9 July, and completed by parliament’s summer recess (16 July). This will ensure the new leader is in place when parliament returns on 1 September.

Follow The Independent’s live coverage for the latest political updates

In the hours that followed, former health secretary Wes Streeting announced his decision not to run in the leadership contest, making the surprise move to throw his weight behind Mr Burnham instead.

He wrote: “We were elected to change our country, to show that politics can be a force for good, and to spread opportunity for everyone. With Andy, we still can.”

Mr Streeting was considered to be the next most popular choice amongst Labour MPs to contend for the leadership. His decision not to stand could clear the way for Mr Burnham to become the next leader, with no other member thought to have the required 81 Labour MPs behind them to enter the contest.

The former Manchester mayor is no stranger to the halls of Westminster, sitting as a Labour MP from 2001 to 2017 and holding several ministerial positions, including health minister.

Making his victory speech in Makerfield, the veteran politician said: “Everyone knows that politics isn’t working.

“Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point.”

Here are the MPs understood to be allies of Mr Burnham, likely to lend support to his potentially uncontested leadership bid and possibly make an appearance in his cabinet:

The surprise move from Wes Streeting to pull out of any leadership contest may have effectively handed Mr Burnham the keys to Number 10. It had been reported that the Ilford North MP only barely had the required number of Labour MPs behind him to stand, and his popularity figures compared to Mr Burnham’s indicated that it would have been a tough competition for him.

Declaring his position, Mr Streeting wrote that he has spent his time since resigning as health secretary “setting out ideas to change our country”, including “a plan for Britain to grow again and grow together, with a progressive capitalism focused on wealth creation as much as wealth distribution”.

“Having spoken at length with Andy in recent days, I’m convinced that there is a place for those ideas under his leadership”, he added.

More than just stepping aside, this has been seen by many as a pitch to the likely future prime minister. Mr Streeting’s focus on economic policy in his letter may hint at his ambition: could Mr Burnham replace Rachel Reeves and appoint him as chancellor?

Former deputy prime minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner had been understood to be gearing up for a leadership bid herself in the scenario that Mr Burnham was unsuccessful in Makerfield.

Following Labour’s disastrous local election results in May, she issued a “last chance” warning to Sir Keir, telling him that blocking Mr Burnham from standing in the by-election in Gorton and Denton was a “mistake”.

“We must show we understand the scale of change the moment calls for – that means bringing our best players into parliament,” she added.

The Greater Manchester MP has a clear path to rejoin cabinet having been cleared of wrongdoing by HMRC in May over an issue relating to unpaid stamp duty.

Allies have indicated that she is interested in a return to the role of deputy prime minister, as well as a potential promotion to foreign secretary, under Mr Burnham.

Former transport secretary Louise Haigh was manager of Mr Burnham’s campaign in Makerfield, and a key proponent in Westminster of his return to parliament.

She resigned as cabinet secretary in 2024 after it emerged she had pleaded guilty to a fraud offence a decade ago, telling police she had her work mobile taken in a mugging, but later finding it had not been taken.

In the time since, Ms Haigh is understood to have become a “right-hand” to Mr Burnham, credited with elevating his campaign to return to parliament as leader.

She is also a leading member of Labour’s Tribune group in parliament, relaunched at the start of the year. This is a collection of MPs who are considered to be on the “soft left” of the party, with an aim to have 100 members join the faction.

Affiliation with the group does not necessarily indicate support for Mr Burnham. However, several prominent members have made political interventions this year signalling a dissatisfaction with the direction of the current government.

In January, MPs including Ms Haigh, Debbie Abrahams, Beccy Cooper, Vicky Foxcroft, Justin Madders, Sarah Owen and Yuan Yang, wrote for LabourList that while the government had made important progress, “we haven’t clarified who we stand for.”

“We must approach the economy differently. We must challenge the failing status quo. We must change how it is run once and for all,” the group added.

Deputy leader of the Labour Party, Lucy Powell, did not speak out against Sir Keir during Mr Burnham’s Makerfield campaign. However, the fellow Manchester MP is understood to be an ally of his, and said the party needed to “make use” of Mr Burnham following its defeat in Gorton and Denton in February.

Energy secretary and former Labour leader, Ed Miliband, is another political ally of Mr Burnham’s. It is understood that he was considering joining any future leadership contest until it became clear that the Manchester MP would be in the running.

Mr Simons surprised Westminster by announcing he would stand down in his Makerfield seat and his ministerial role to allow Mr Burnham to run for parliament. Explaining his decision, he said: “I am standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home, fight to re-enter parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for.”

He had been previously seen as an ally of the home secretary Shabana Mahmood.

For Westminster gossip, intrigue and behind-the-scenes insight, sign up for John Rentoul’s Commons Confidential newsletter by becoming an Independent Premium subscriber here

As with other members of Sir Keir’s government, transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, has not vocally supported Mr Burnham. But as a political ally, is expected to back him in the event of a leadership competition.

The MP for Knowsley worked as the “political lead” on Mr Burnham’s campaign. She is former senior trade union official, previously working as political director of Unite.

Former communities minister, Miatta Fahnbulleh, was the first to resign from Sir Keir’s government in May following Labour’s disastrous local election results. She called on the PM to set out a timeline for his departure, and has since been understood to be helping Mr Burnham work on policy.

Norwich South MP Clive Lewis has been one of Mr Burnham’s most vocal supporters in Westminster, offering to give up his seat as early as November last year to give the former mayor a path to power.

Speaking in May, Mr Lewis told Channel 4: “We have to be honest, Andy Burnham isn’t coming back into parliament to serve in anyone else’s parliament or to be a backbencher – he’s coming back to be prime minister.”

Veteran Labour MP John McDonnell may be seen as an unlikely ally of Mr Burnham’s, having often been on opposite sides of the party to him during the Blair government.

However, the former shadow chancellor has said he would back the Greater Manchester MP in any leadership election, becoming emotional in an interview with LBC following his victory in Makerfield.

He told the broadcaster: “Makerfield was a tremendous victory because it stopped Reform in its tracks. The progressive Left united to defeat the divisive politics of the Right. The next step is to re-establish the broad church of the Labour Party.”

Many MPs on the left of the Labour Party are understood to be accepting of Mr Burnham’s likely premiership, buoyed by his stances on public ownership, economic independence, and devolution.