Andy Burnham is almost guaranteed to be the next prime minister of the United Kingdom after 322 Labour MPs nominated him to take over from Sir Keir Starmer.
The total means that there are only 81 Labour MPs left who could nominate another contender, the minimum needed to get on to the ballot.
But convention dictates that the outgoing leader does not nominate a candidate, meaning in reality there are no longer enough undeclared MPs to back an alternative to Mr Burnham.
The former Greater Manchester mayor secured the nominations – amounting to 80% of the parliamentary party – by 5pm on Thursday, the first day MPs could formally back a leadership candidate.
Even before nominations opened, Mr Burnham seemed almost certain to enjoy a coronation as Labour leader as the only declared candidate in the race to succeed Sir Keir.
But the size of his support in the parliamentary party means even a late challenger now has virtually no hope of securing the required nominations.
Mr Burnham said he was “deeply grateful” to the 322 MPs who had backed him, saying their support “comes from across the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party) and reflects a shared belief that Britain needs a new approach to politics”.
He added: “I want to empower MPs to bring the experiences of their constituents into the heart of government and harness the full breadth of our Labour movement, drawing on all its traditions and beliefs in pursuit of a common purpose.
“I want to thank every colleague who has nominated me for their commitment to that vision.”
Almost every member of the Cabinet backed Mr Burnham, as did former health secretary Wes Streeting and former armed forces minister Al Carns who had previously been regarded as potential challengers.
Mr Streeting ruled himself out of contention within minutes of Mr Burnham announcing his candidacy following Sir Keir’s resignation on June 22, while Mr Carns said on Wednesday he would not put himself forward.
Key Starmer ally Steve Reed was one of only three Cabinet members who did not nominate Mr Burnham on Thursday, along with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has been spoken of as a potential chancellor, and party chairwoman Anna Turley.
But this does not necessarily mean they do not support Mr Burnham, as nominations must be made in person or through a limited number of proxy votes.
As nominations opened on Thursday, Sir Keir told reporters he thought Mr Burnham would make a good prime minister, saying they had known each other “a long time”.
The Prime Minister said he had worked closely with Mr Burnham on the Investigatory Powers Bill when the latter was shadow home secretary in 2015, adding the legislation was “really important in terms of the powers and capabilities that our security and intelligence services need”.
He also referred to their collaboration since 2024 on Northern Powerhouse Rail, which he said was “an example of devolution at its best”, and Mr Burnham’s response to the attack on the Heaton Park synagogue last year.
Sir Keir said: “Andy was the first person I phoned to find out what was happening, where things were at.
“When I went to Manchester, I spent the whole time with him, with the community and with others. So, I’ve always worked very well with Andy.”
Asked whether Mr Burnham would be a better prime minister than him, Sir Keir replied laughing: “These are things best judged by other people.”
Nominations remain officially open until July 16 and, in the absence of any other candidates, Mr Burnham will be formally declared Labour leader at a special conference on July 17 and is expected to become prime minister on July 20.
Meanwhile, Mr Burnham set out more of his vision for British foreign policy and signalled a tougher stance towards Israel over its military operations in Gaza.
In a video on social media, he apologised for Labour’s previous stance, saying his party “didn’t get it right” and the UK had been “too slow to call for a ceasefire”.
Mr Burnham suggested that his government would “do more to strengthen our approach”, including “looking at further sanctions, both on those involved in the violence in Gaza, but also looking at measures to ban trade in goods with illegal settlements”.
His comments followed an article in The Times in which he said he would seek stability in foreign policy, setting out his commitment to Nato, the nuclear deterrent, maintaining close ties with the US and support for Ukraine as well as closer relations with the EU.
Burnham’s secret plot to get to No 10
Full list of MPs to nominate Andy Burnham for Labour leadership
Burnham signals tougher policy on Israel over Gaza
Prime minister-in-waiting on the cusp of Labour leadership as 322 MPs back him: Live
Former top judge hits out against ‘vilification’ after Harry whitewash claim
Man charged with murder of mother-of-seven nearly 30 years after she disappeared
