Andy Burnham sworn in as MP after Keir Starmer announces resignation - live updates

• This live page is pausing for now. You can read the latest coverage here

• Andy Burnham is sworn in as the MP for Makerfield hours after Keir Starmer announces his resignation as Labour Party leader - here's how today unfolded

• Burnham says he will stand to replace the prime minister, with backing from former Health Secretary Wes Streeting

• Streeting - who quit Starmer's government last month - previously said he would join any leadership race

• Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones has been urged to run by some Labour MPs and has not ruled out the idea, the BBC understands, though his friends believe it is unlikely he will stand

• Speaking outside No 10 earlier, Starmer thanked his wife in an emotional speech - watch it in full

• They hosted an event at No 10 tonight to say thank you to staff and supporters

• What happens now? Starmer says he'll remain as PM until his successor is chosen, which will happen by the time "Parliament returns in September" - or sooner if Labour gets behind one candidate and there's no contest

Live Reporting

Edited by Sean Seddon, with Henry Zeffman reporting from Westminster

1. Starmer to go and Burnham favourite to replace him - but is he ready?published at 22:37 BST 22 June

   Jack Fenwick, Henry Zeffman, Harry Farley and Nick Eardley
   BBC Politics

   Image source, Getty Images

   One source who has been working on policy for Andy Burnham for a number of months described their preparations for taking over Downing Street as "not very ready", and said they could still try to keep Starmer in place until the autumn, even if there is no leadership contest.

   They suggested that prospective cabinet ministers and advisers could be picked before then and put through "accession talks" in August to better prepare them for government.

   But that's not a view held among the majority of Burnham's inner circle.

   One source said "the timetable is the timetable, we don't have a choice, he becomes PM in July if he's the only candidate".

   The timetable for a leadership contest is decided by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee, but if there is no contest it could well be down to Starmer himself.

   One ally of the prime minister's said they didn't think he would be willing to hang around just to give Burnham more time to prepare.

   Policy work has been under way for weeks in areas such as housing and transport.

   Some advisers have been looking at ways in which a Burnham-led government may be able to borrow more in some areas.

   But Burnham's allies accept there's been less developed thinking when it comes to defence, energy and welfare.

   At the end of another tumultuous day in Westminster it looks all but certain that it will now fall to him to fit all of this together into a cohesive government and functional political project.

   This live coverage is pausing for now. You can read the latest on a seismic day in politics here.

2. From resignation to jubilation - Westminster drama in picturespublished at 22:13 BST 22 June

   Image source, Reuters

   Image source, PA Media

   Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

   Image source, PA Media

3. Hillsborough Law campaigners call for bill to be passed despite change in PMpublished at 22:12 BST 22 June

   Judith Moritz and Daniel Wittenberg

   Image source, PA Media

   Campaigners for the Hillsborough Law have called for the bill to be passed in full before the end of the summer, despite the change in prime minister.

   Charlotte Hennessy, whose father James was among the 97 people unlawfully killed in the Hillsborough disaster, tells the BBC she welcomed Andy Burnham’s election as MP for Makerfield but does not believe there is any need to wait for him to potentially take office before the legislation is implemented.

   She says: “This was Keir’s pledge. It was in his manifesto. He made that pledge to me personally in Number Ten, then again on record in the House of Commons.”

   Starmer had pledged that the legislation – which would introduce a legal obligation on public officials and organisations to act with honesty and transparency – would become law by April this year, in time for the 36th anniversary of the disaster.

   However, progress has stalled over disagreement on whether the measures should apply to the intelligence services.

   Burnham has been a long-standing supporter of Hillsborough families and survivors. As secretary of state for culture, media and sport in 2009, he helped pave the way for the disclosure of new information about the disaster.

   He first introduced a version of the Hillsborough Law in Parliament in 2017. He has continued to campaign for it to be implemented and for its duty of candour to extend to MI5 and MI6 as well as other public authorities.

   In a statement on social media, the Hillsborough Law Now campaign said: "While we are disappointed by the continued barriers and delays, we thank [Starmer] for helping us reach this point when many other prime ministers did not even try."

4. Trump's relationship with Starmer ends on a bad notepublished at 21:49 BST 22 June

   Bernd Debusmann Jr
   Reporting from the White House

   I've just left the Oval Office of the White House, where, it seemed to me, Trump bristled a bit when asked about Keir Starmer - a man whom he once praised but who now has become the object of considerable scorn.

   While he may believe that Starmer is a "lovely man" and maybe even a friend, Trump clearly feels let down by what he perceives as a failure to come to the aid of US when he felt it would have been helpful.

   At the heart of the matter was a lack of British participation in Operation Epic Fury, and the initial British denial of its bases for use in offensive operations in Iran during the conflict.

   That, more than anything else, led to Trump's change in tone about the outgoing prime minister.

   "By the way, Starmer wasn't there," Trump said, unprompted, while discussing US Nato allies. "And you know what? The people of the UK did not like it that he wasn't there."

   The event ended before Trump could be asked for his views on Andy Burnham - but Trump has never been shy about weighing in on another country's domestic politics, so there may well be more in the coming days.

5. 

   The British government is now in a holding patternpublished at 21:41 BST 22 June

   Harry Farley
   Political correspondent

   When you speak to people in government, they say the day-to-day business carries on - but realistically, the main decisions are on hold.

   Nothing big can happen because the prime minister has declared his intention to step down. It means we're in a holding period now.

   Nominations open on 9 July, and 16 July is when they close - that's the deadline for any other Labour MP to raise the support from 81 Labour MPs needed to contest Andy Burnham.

   At the moment, there's no sign of that - so if that's the case, we could be looking at Burnham as prime minister by mid-July.

6. Trump says Starmer is a 'lovely man' but criticises policiespublished at 21:27 BST 22 June

   Image source, Reuters

   US President Donald Trump describes Keir Starmer as a "lovely man" and "sort of a friend of mine", but criticises his approach to energy, immigration and crime.

   Answering a question from the BBC in the Oval Office, he repeats his criticism of Labour's policy on North Sea energy, calling it "one of the great fields in the world".

   He also says Starmer did not let the US "use the island to land", an apparent reference to the UK government's initial refusal to let American jets take off from UK bases for offensive operations against Iran.

   Trump says that decision "hurt him badly, very badly" but also that "I wish him well".

7. Healey praises Starmer 11 days after quitting his cabinetpublished at 20:58 BST 22 June

   Image source, Reuters

   Former Defence Secretary John Healey has praised Keir Starmer for returning Labour to government after "one of the worst defeats" in its history.

   In a series of posts on X, he says Starmer has "shown great strength, putting public service first", and that it is time for "all of us in government and in the Labour Party to pull together so we're stronger than ever".

   Healey resigned from his role as defence secretary on 11 June, saying the UK's defence investment plan "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time".

8. A deeply personal moment behind a very public eventpublished at 20:37 BST 22 June

   Harry Farley
   Political correspondent

   Image source, Getty Images

   I’ve just bumped into a depressed looking Labour MP leaving Downing Street.

   They had been at a gathering inside for staff and MPs who had been loyal to Keir Starmer.

   We're told Victoria Starmer, the prime minister’s wife who he thanked in his resignation speech, addressed those present.

   “I just wanted to say thank you from me,” she said. "I obviously love Keir and support him as much as I can, but there's only so much I could do, and it's you guys who gave that support day in day out, and I am personally really grateful for that. So, thank you all.”

   That tells us two things. Firstly, it’s a reminder of the deeply personal emotions behind very public political events.

   And secondly, it shows there is still a group of Labour MPs loyal to Starmer who do not want Andy Burnham to be prime minister.

   They might be a minority - but uniting a fractious parliamentary Labour Party will be one of his main challenges if indeed he does take over in a few weeks’ time.

9. Watch Starmer resignation BBC News specialpublished at 20:27 BST 22 June

   A BBC News programme covering Keir Starmer's resignation announcement and today's dramatic political developments is about to start.

   You can watch live at the top of this page from 20:30 BST.

10. Darren Jones not ruling out running for leadership, BBC understandspublished at 20:03 BST 22 June

    Chris Mason
    Political editor

    Image source, Reuters

    Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones is being urged by some Labour MPs to consider running to replace Keir Starmer, the BBC understands.

    Jones, who was both in Downing Street this morning when Starmer announced his intention to stand down and in Westminster Hall when Andy Burnham was greeted by Labour MPs, is understood not to be ruling out the idea.

    His friends believe in the end it is probably unlikely he would stand, but they set out a concern that they believe Burnham is yet to properly set out his vision to be prime minister and his policy instincts on a range of topics.

11. Veteran Labour MP calls for leadership electionpublished at 19:54 BST 22 June

    

    Graham Stringer, who has been a Labour MP in Greater Manchester since 1997, says Andy Burnham's "record on being consistent on his policy and delivering is less than perfect".

    "I absolutely prefer there to be a [leadership] contest," the MP for Blackley and Middleton South tell's the BBC, so that "Andy's ideas and views could be tested in debate".

    He says Burnham is "a nice bloke" but wasn't elected on Labour's manifesto "like the rest of the Labour MPs", describing the former Manchester mayor as being in a "political vacuum".

12. 

    Burnham's ambitions could be curbed by financial realitypublished at 19:38 BST 22 June

    Dharshini David
    Deputy economics editor

    For all the drama at Downing Street today, financial markets have been calm.

    You might wonder if investors had headed to the beach for the day, but no - they are watching to see not just who is going to reside behind that door at No 10, but also who will be behind No 11 as chancellor.

    This isn't a popularity contest, but one of policy and priorities - how they will tackle issues such as growth, jobs, and rising welfare spending.

    Andy Burnham wants measures such as more control of utilities, while boosting social housing and the defence budget - a bigger role for the state, but a more costly one.

    He's constrained by the public finances. Public debt is heading up to £3 trillion and he wants to keep the rules designed to curb that.

    So will his ambitions be curbed by financial reality - or will money be raised elsewhere through more tax rises?

    Burnham might have once said he wouldn’t be in hock to the bond markets, the government's lenders, but the next chancellor will have to keep them on side.

    There may be several people vying to take control of the Treasury - but in some ways, it's an unenviable task.

13. 

    Burnham called for a general election during 2022 Tory leadership racepublished at 19:17 BST 22 June

    By Tamara Kovacevic

    Following Keir Starmer’s resignation, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage posted a video on X calling for a general election, saying people had “had enough” of parties “chopping and changing their leaders”.

    Andy Burnham was asked earlier whether there should be a general election if he becomes prime minister, but did not answer the question directly: "I think you're jumping several hurdles ahead there - my priority today is to be sworn is as the MP for Makerfield," he said.

    However, we have found several posts from him calling for a general election during the time the Conservatives were choosing a new leader to succeed Boris Johnson, who resigned on 7 July 2022.

    Image source, ITV/PA Media

    On 13 July 2022, a post from his X account said, external: “We need to start demanding a general election at the end of this Tory leadership election. They were all elected on a manifesto promise to level up the North and are all abandoning it.”

    Ahead of the ITV debate between the five Tory leadership hopefuls on 17 July another post said, external: “Only one possible response to #itvdebate, external… We need a general election.”

    And his account posted the hashtag, external #GeneralElectionNow, external on 20 October 2022 - just as Liz Truss’s short premiership was coming to an end.

14. Burnham should call early election, says former Labour ministerpublished at 18:54 BST 22 June

    Image source, House of Commons/PA Media

    Andy Burnham should "be brave" and call an early general election, a former minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown has told BBC Radio 5 Live.

    Alan Johnson, the former home secretary, tells Matt Chorley that "Andy should go to the country", even though an election does not have to be called until August 2029.

    He goes on: "MPs won't like it. It'll be a very bold thing to do. It might set a precedent that others in the future will have to follow, but it will help restore trust in politics, and that is Andy's big plus."

    Johnson says that if Burnham decides against calling an early election, he will have to "follow the mandate and the manifesto of Keir Starmer and he's criticised big chunks of that".

    The Labour veteran adds: "Be brave Andy, be brave."

    Earlier, Burnham dismissed calls for an early election when asked by the BBC, saying it was "jumping several hurdles".

16. Burnham could enter No 10 within a few weekspublished at 18:19 BST 22 June

    Joe Pike
    Political correspondent

    Within hours of Keir Starmer’s emotional resignation speech, the race to succeed him looked less like a contest and more like a coronation.

    Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s decision to back Andy Burnham’s bid for the top job means the new Makerfield MP could swiftly gain an unassailable lead among Labour parliamentarians.

    If there is a coronation, and no contest, Burnham could be moving into No 10 within weeks - and opposition parties are already arguing he doesn't have a mandate.

    But it is a sign of the frenzied pace of our politics that few in Westminster are talking of Starmer or his political legacy.

    Most Labour MPs seem more interested in who, and what, is next.

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17. Two key moments today point to one likely outcomepublished at 18:07 BST 22 June

    Chris Mason
    Political editor

    Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

    Westminster is a postcode whose currency is power. Today power shifted – and quickly.

    Two key moments led to one key likely outcome.

    First, Keir Starmer’s resignation - much anticipated, and not a novelty given the prime ministerial churn of recent years.

    But don’t underestimate how profound these moments are politically and personally – Starmer's voice cracking, his wife’s lip trembling.

    The next big moment was not Andy Burnham’s much filmed odyssey from Manchester to London, but the former Health Secretary Wes Streeting throwing his lot in with Burnham.

    Streeting was astute enough to sense the political momentum swinging so decisively behind Burnham.

    Photographs of the former mayor of Greater Manchester surrounded by hundreds of Labour MPs – the Chancellor Rachel Reeves and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner among them – illustrate that shift in power and influence.

    It’s not impossible someone chooses to take on Burnham but it is increasingly likely he is prime minister in just a matter of weeks - our fifth Prime Minister in the past four years.

    Image source, PA Media

18. It's hard to find an MP who doesn't think Burnham is the next PMpublished at 17:43 BST 22 June

    Nick Eardley
    Political correspondent, at Westminster

    I’ve been in Parliament this afternoon speaking to MPs about what comes next.

    It's a struggle to find anyone who doesn’t think Andy Burnham will be the next prime minister.

    His momentum seems almost unstoppable now.

    There are definitely questions being asked about what exactly he’ll do differently but Labour MPs seem to have concluded he’s their best hope now.

    It’s not impossible that someone throws their hat into the ring to try and shake things up a bit and road test Burnham’s policies.

    But pretty much everyone here is preparing for Burnham to be in No 10 in a few weeks time.

19. Carns says next Labour leader must 'govern differently'published at 17:26 BST 22 June

    Image source, PA Media

    Al Carns, who quit as armed forces minister on 11 June, has called for the next Labour leader to "govern differently so that Britain becomes stronger on every front at once".

    Writing for Labour List, external, he sets out the approach he says the next prime minister will need, including the ability to "build a plan, test it, and then commit like your life depends on it".

    The former soldier also puts forward policies including a "youth triple lock" comprised of a guaranteed offer of employment, education or training, a financial scheme that "turns student loan repayments into a housing deposit", and free transport for under-25s.

    Carns has been touted as having leadership ambitions and has not endorsed Andy Burnham publicly.

    However, he does not explicitly say he intends to stand in a leadership contest himself in his latest intervention.

20. World leaders react to Starmer's resignation announcementpublished at 17:07 BST 22 June

    Image source, PA Media

    World leaders have been reacting to Keir Starmer's resignation, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who thanks the outgoing prime minister for his support and "always striving to do what is needed and what will truly help".

    Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney says: "The world is safer and allies are more united because of his [Starmer's] efforts."

    France's President Emmanuel Macron thanks him for "strengthening the Franco-British relationship, his commitment within the coalition of volunteers for Ukraine, as well as to the revival of the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union".

    Ireland's Taoiseach Micheál Martin says Starmer "has worked with us to set a new direction and depth in the relationship between Ireland and the UK, for the benefit of all our citizens, north-south and east-west".