Sir Keir Starmer stepped down as Labour leader following mounting pressure from within his own party.
The former Greater Manchester Mayor is on course to take over Labour after securing the backing of the overwhelming majority of Labour MPs, meaning he is expected to enter Downing Street without facing a contested leadership election.
But while Burnham begins his leadership with stronger personal polling than his predecessor, a POLITICO/Public First poll suggests voters in southern England, including south east London, are among the least convinced he will govern in their interests.
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Mr Burnham was first elected as Labour MP for Leigh in 2001, before rising through the party ranks under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
He held several government roles, including Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Culture Secretary, before becoming Health Secretary in 2009.
During his time in government, Burnham became known for his campaigning on issues including the Hillsborough disaster and healthcare reform.
He later ran for the Labour leadership twice, finishing fourth in 2010 and second behind Jeremy Corbyn in 2015.
After leaving Parliament in 2017, Burnham began a new political chapter as the first directly elected Mayor of Greater Manchester.
It was there that he built the reputation which earned him the nickname “King of the North”, becoming one of the country’s most prominent voices for greater regional power, transport investment and devolution.
Burnham has argued that too much political power has been concentrated in Westminster and London and has called for the biggest transfer of power out of Whitehall in modern times.
He has also criticised what he described as a Labour “London set” dominating the party, while proposing plans for a “No.10 North” base in Manchester to move more government activity away from the capital.
Earlier this year, Burnham returned to Parliament by winning the Makerfield by-election, after former Labour MP Josh Simons stepped aside to allow him to stand.
The victory strengthened his position within Labour and was followed days later by Sir Keir Starmer announcing he would step down as Labour leader.
Burnham’s leadership bid has since become effectively uncontested, with a total of 322 Labour MPs having backed his candidacy, leaving him comfortably above the number of nominations needed to enter the race.
With no other candidate able to reach the required threshold, Burnham is now expected to be confirmed as Labour leader without a vote by party members, in what has been described as a political “coronation”.
Supporters say his record in Greater Manchester and his focus on regional investment make him the person to rebuild trust in Labour after Starmer’s difficult premiership.
Recent polling has found Burnham is viewed more favourably than other major party leaders when voters are asked who would make the best Prime Minister.
However, many voters remain unsure how he would perform in Downing Street, with former Prime Minister Theresa May warning him that “running the United Kingdom is not the same as running Manchester”.
While some London politicians have backed his plans for greater devolution, others, like Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, have also warned that investment in other regions must not come at London’s expense, arguing the capital remains a major driver of the UK economy.
Burnham is expected to be confirmed as Labour leader before being appointed Prime Minister by King Charles III.
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