Britain's Andy Burnham prepares for Labour leadership race

Key Points:

• Andy Burnham, recently elected to Parliament and former mayor of Greater Manchester, is the frontrunner to succeed Keir Starmer as the UK's Labour Party leader and likely next prime minister after Starmer announced his resignation.
• Burnham's leadership bid gained momentum when former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, initially seen as a main rival, endorsed him, potentially leaving Burnham as the sole contender in the upcoming leadership contest.
• The Labour leadership nominations open on July 9 and close a week later; if Burnham runs unopposed, he could become prime minister by July 17, otherwise a contest would conclude by early September.
• While Burnham is popular for his "Manchesterism" approach and strong public appeal, his national economic policies remain unclear, prompting some Labour members to call for a contested leadership election to allow public scrutiny.
• Starmer resigned after two years marked by declining popularity and political missteps, including controversial appointments, acknowledging that the party no longer sees him as the best leader to face the next general election, which is not due until 2029.