Andy Burnham is set to become the next Prime Minister after securing an overwhelming majority of nominations from Labour MPs, effectively making him the sole candidate for the party leadership.
An additional 27 endorsements on Monday brought his total to 349, surpassing the threshold required to challenge for the top role.
These latest nominations, building on the 322 received last week, mean no other contender can now gather the 81 endorsements necessary to enter the race.
While nearly 80 per cent of the Parliamentary Labour Party had already formally backed Mr Burnham last week, Monday’s additional support pushed him decisively over the line.
Among those offering their backing on Monday was Communities Secretary Steve Reed, a prominent ally of outgoing leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Mr Reed was notably the only Cabinet member not to nominate Mr Burnham previously.
By convention, Shabana Mahmood and Anna Turley, who chair Labour’s national executive committee and the party respectively, do not participate in nominations, nor does Sir Keir Starmer as the departing leader.
Further nominations on Monday included junior ministers Sir Chris Bryant and Mike Tapp, former minister Jess Phillips, and Richard Burgon, secretary of the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs.
As the only candidate to succeed Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Burnham is anticipated to formally assume the Labour leadership at a special party conference scheduled for Friday.
He is then expected to take office as Prime Minister three days later, on 20 July. Despite his uncontested path, Mr Burnham is still slated to participate in an online hustings with Labour MPs later on Monday.
On Sunday, Rachel Reeves said Burnham must have a “worked-through plan” for governing Britain when he walks through the door of No 10 Downing Street.
Ms Reeves, who conceded she will no longer be Chancellor when Burnham takes over as prime minister, told the BBC “it is important that when Andy walks through that door he has a worked-through plan, because governing is hard in Britain, and lots of challenges and shocks will come his way”.
Mr Burnham must be “really clear about what they want to achieve”, and “needs to stay laser-focused on those things that have always motivated him, have always driven him”, the Chancellor also said.
Elsewhere in the interview, Ms Reeves was asked why Sir Keir Starmer’s time as Prime Minister was coming to an end.
“People are impatient for change – I’m impatient for change and I totally get that people want to see their lives changed faster,” she said.
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