Which Labour MPs are backing to Burnham become the party’s next leader and Prime Minister?

Andy Burnham speech
Credit: Andy Burnham HQ

Over 80 percent of the Parliamentary Labour Party have so far publicly backed Andy Burnham to become Labour’s next leader and Prime Minister.

As the first list of names from the PLP nomination process is published, 322 MPs have so far announced nominated Andy Burnham to be the next Labour leader, including several members of the Cabinet. Four others – Mike Reader, Steve Reed, Mike Tapp and Catherine West – have publicly indicated their support for Burnham but are yet to nominate him.

Burnham is the only MP to throw his hat in the ring for the contest, after all other potential contenders – including Wes Streeting, Darren Jones and Al Carns – ruled themselves out.

The number of nominations, combined with those who have pubicly endorsed him, makes it all but impossible for any other potential candidate to receive the 81 names required to make it onto a ballot.

Following the publication of the first list of nominations, Burnham said: “I am deeply grateful to the 322 Labour MPs who have put their trust in me and nominated me for Leader of the Labour Party. Their support comes from across the PLP and reflects a shared belief that Britain needs a new approach to politics.”


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