Who is Andy Burnham? Returning MP who wants to be prime minister

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Returning MP who wants to be prime minister10 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleBecky Morton ,Political reporterandJames Gregory ,Political reporterReutersAndy Burnham has tried to become Labour leader before - twice running, twice missing out. But it may now be a case of third time lucky, with Sir Keir Starmer's resignation and many Labour MPs rallying around the new MP for Makerfield, paving the way for a potential Burnham premiership. Burnham has confirmed he intends to bid for the leadership, and his chances will have been boosted by the backing of Wes Streeting - Sir Keir's former health secretary who had himself been keen on running for the top job himself.

Burnham's first major obstacle to the doors of Downing Street was cleared last week when he won the Makerfield by-election, seeing off a challenge from Reform UK, which came second but more than 9,000 votes behind Labour. The former Greater Manchester mayor increased Labour's share of the vote from 45% at the 2024 general election to almost 55%. Now the Labour MP, who was first elected to Parliament in 2001, will be sworn into Parliament on Monday afternoon.

The Details

But how did he become front-runner in the race for No 10? Getty ImagesBurnham appeared alongside Sir Keir Starmer during a visit by the PM to Ashton-under-Lyne in AprilEarly life: Everton fan and indie music loverBorn in Liverpool in 1970, Burnham grew up in Culcheth, a quiet commuter belt village in Cheshire, near Warrington. His father, a BT engineer, and his mother, a GP receptionist, were both staunch Labour supporters and he developed an early interest in politics.

Burnham has described how he was inspired to join the Labour Party at the age of 14, after being moved by the TV drama, Boys from the Blackstuff, about life on the dole in Liverpool. A lifelong Everton fan, his friends remember Burnham as a competitive, sports-mad child, who was a fast bowler for Lancashire schoolboys cricket team. At school, the local Roman Catholic comprehensive, his English teacher recalls how he stood to be a Labour candidate in mock elections - and won by a landslide.

Burnham and his two brothers were the first in their family to go to university, with Andy studying English at Cambridge. In his book, Head North, Burnham wrote that he "struggled to feel part of things" at university and felt like an "imposter". However, the music-lover - who is a fan of northern indie bands like The Smiths and The Stone Roses - said his "growing interest in Manchester music gave me an identity and an advantage".

Getty ImagesA keen footballer, Burnham was a regular feature in the annual Labour MPs vs political journalists matchFrom MP to Greater Manchester mayorAfter graduating, he started out in journalism, working for trade magazines including Tank World and Passenger World Management.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.