LONDON — Veteran UK politician Andy Burnham confirmed on Monday that he would seek to replace Keir Starmer as leader of the ruling Labour party and prime minister.

 

Burnham, 56, called for an "orderly and responsible" transition after Starmer announced he was stepping down. "I will put myself forward as part of this process," Burnham wrote on X.

 

Former health secretary Wes Streeting, who previously said he would join a leadership race, instead said he was backing Burnham, suggesting the former Manchester mayor could become leader without any formal contest.

 

The leader of the hard-right, anti-immigration Reform UK party Nigel Farage called for general elections to be held after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday.

 

"Reform demands an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change," said Farage, whose party has topped the opinion polls for months and delivered a resounding blow to Starmer's centre-left Labour in May's local elections.