Andy Burnham is sworn in as the MP for Makerfield hours after Keir Starmer announces his resignation as Labour Party leader
Burnham earlier said he would 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 contest any leadership race
After being sworn in, Burnham was met with whoops and cheers as he posed for pictures with about 200 Labour MPs
If there was any doubt the leadership election is over before it began, Burnham's reception in Westminster Hall ought to expunge it, writes Henry Zeffman
Speaking outside No 10 earlier, Starmer thanked his wife in an emotional speech and said he wanted to be the "best dad I can to my beautiful children" - watch the speech in full
What happens next? 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
Andy Burnham tells the BBC that it is "jumping several hurdles" when asked if there should be a general election if he becomes prime minister.
We'll bring you more in a moment.
Andy Burnham's train heading from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston
Andy Burnham's train has just arrived at London Euston station - our reporters on the ground will try to speak to the man on course to be the next prime minister.
He'll be formally sworn in as the new MP for Makerfield shortly.
Jamie Moughton
Reporting from the 10:54 Manchester to London train
I've just spoken to the deputy leader of the Labour Party and longstanding Burnham ally Lucy Powell on the train taking the new Makerfield MP to Westminster.
Powell praises Starmer for "turning the party around" and says the PM gave a "dignified and graceful" resignation speech.
She says the party now needs to show it can "do an orderly transition well", and says that she will make sure the process is "fair and smooth and hopefully relatively quick".
Asked if she expects a job in any future Burnham-led government, she replies: "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
Mark Lowen
Reporting from Euston
A few dozen journalists have gathered at London Euston station, waiting for the most famous passenger of the 10:54 from Manchester Piccadilly to arrive.
Station staff are here too, knowing there’s no way to keep the cameras and microphones in check.
The scramble to get a word with the likely next occupant of No 10 is likely to be big and messy.
Image source, ReutersAndy Burnham arrives at Manchester Piccadilly before his train to London Euston
Andy Burnham is taking an Avanti West Coast service from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston.
The service is running slightly behind schedule and is now expected to arrive at 13:28 rather than 13:09 BST. National Rail says this is due to a late-running train ahead on the line.
Our reporter Jamie Moughton is on the same service. He tried to speak to Burnham about his leadership bid, but the new MP for Makerfield is keeping tight-lipped during the journey.
Burnham is accompanied by a team of around half a dozen staff, and appears to have a security detail with him too, Moughton writes from the train.
Jane, 65, from Cardiff, says Starmer gave an "excellent speech" in Downing Street this morning, and describes him as a "man of integrity". She says she is "sorry he's stepping down".
Adrian, 68, from Truro, is more critical of the prime minister, saying he and Chancellor Rachel Reeves "ruined the job market for youngsters especially, closed thousands of businesses...[and] targeted pensioners".
Lorna in Norwich says "you can sack as many managers as you want" but unless you address "the work culture or other workers, nothing will change".
Richard in Ashford describes today's news as a "nasty hatchet job on an honourable man, doing his best for the country".
But Sally in Yorkshire says Starmer's resignation is "better late than never" and calls for a general election "urgently".
Image source, PA MediaWhile Labour MPs have previously raised concerns about Starmer's communication skills, No 10's former communications director believes his downfall isn't down to messaging.
Speaking to BBC News, James Lyons, who left the post last year, says "I don’t think you can put it down to communications", noting that Starmer has overseen several changes in No 10 communications team while in office.
He says Labour's initial 2024 decision to cut winter fuel payments - although since largely reversed - is "still brought up by voters on the doorstep".
Lyons says last summer's welfare vote "cast him into political purgatory", but adds that Starmer will be remembered by some for "rescuing" the Labour Party after its 2019 election loss.
By Lucy Gilder and Tamara Kovacevic
Keir Starmer made several claims about his record as prime minister when he announced his resignation.
'Small boat crossings falling, asylum hotels closing'
Small boat crossings fell in the first six months of this year compared with the same period in 2025. About 10,000 crossings were recorded up to 20 June - a 42% decrease on the same period last year.
But last year’s total was the second highest after 2022’s peak under the previous Conservative government.
Starmer’s government has cut the use of hotels for asylum seekers - transferring them to other types of accommodation including former military sites. Government figures do not show the number of asylum seekers in houses of multiple occupancy.
As of April there were just under 190 hotels still in use, external down from a peak of nearly 400 in 2023. However, this number had already halved to 213 in June 2024 under the Conservatives, according to data obtained by BBC Verify.
'The biggest uplift in defence spending since the Cold War'
Starmer’s government planned to spend 2.5% of GDP in 2027/28, rising to 3% in the next parliament, making it the biggest increase since the Cold War.
In the 1950s, defence spending was over 7% of GDP. By 1989 - when the Berlin Wall came down - it was 3.3% and at times has fallen below 2%, so spending 2.5% of GDP on defence would eclipse any small increases since the 1990s.
After days of speculation, Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as Labour leader and PM.
It comes after Andy Burnham's victory in last week's Makerfield by-election - he is now on his way to Westminster to be sworn in.
Here are some of Monday's key moments:
Image source, ReutersStarmer's team gather in Downing Street, cheering and clapping as he makes his resignation announcement
Image source, ReutersStarmer was emotional during his speech, saying becoming prime minister had been the "proudest moment" of his life and paying tribute to his family
Image source, ReutersThe outgoing prime minister hugs his wife Victoria after finishing his speech
Image source, ReutersAndy Burnham walks through Manchester Piccadilly station as he leaves for Westminster
As Starmer has announced he is standing down as Labour leader, a process will begin to appoint his successor.
There may or may not be a contest, depending on how many candidates put their name forward.
Here are the key dates to keep in mind:
Jamie Moughton
Reporting from the 10:54 Manchester to London train
Andy Burnham is currently on a train, heading towards London Euston, ahead of his swearing in as an MP later today.
We're in the carriage next to Burnham, who declined to speak to us about his leadership bid announcement, giving the same response to other reporters we saw try.
He's accompanied by a team of around half a dozen staff, and appears to have a security detail with him too.
Image source, ReutersAndy Burnham was pictured at Manchester Piccadilly station ahead of his journey to London
James Cook
Scotland editor
Image source, PA MediaAnas Sarwar first called for Keir Starmer to resign in February
Supporters of Scottish independence say Sir Keir Starmer's resignation boosts their case.
In the decade since the UK voted to leave the European Union (against the wishes of a majority of Scottish voters) the nation has had six prime ministers.
There are now nationalist first ministers in Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff. Coincidence? Or consequence?
Scottish nationalists say they don't believe that a seventh PM in 10 years will be able to repair what they characterise as "Broken Brexit Britain" – a nation of entrenched low growth, poor productivity and high inequality.
Where, they ask, is the stability and prosperity promised by those who successfully campaigned in favour of the union in 2014?
"This is no way to govern. Scotland deserves better," says first minister and Scottish National Party leader, John Swinney.
But supporters of Scotland remaining in the UK insist independence would add chaos to instability.
They want the focus to be on improving governance and are highly critical of the SNP’s stewardship of public services.
The Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, called for the prime minister to resign before last month's Holyrood elections — the implication being that management in London and Edinburgh was the problem, rather than the constitution.
Responding to Starmer's resignation, Sarwar has thanked Starmer for his leadership and the 2024 general election win - adding: "The Labour Party must quickly return its focus to the purpose it was elected for – to deliver the change people need."
Image source, EPACabinet ministers have continued to react to the news of Keir Starmer's resignation as prime minister.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper says Starmer has "decisively restored Britain’s credibility" and praised him for Labour's 2024 general election win after "one of our worst defeats in history in 2019".
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says she is "grateful to him and his family for the sacrifices they have made... they deserve all our thanks".
Newly appointed Health Secretary James Murray thanked Starmer for "everything you have done for the country and our party".
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens describes Starmer as a man of "dignity, duty and commitment to our country" and says he has transformed the Labour Party and "rebuilt public trust".
Business Secretary Peter Kyle writes in a statement: "Keir earned my respect when I saw him fight to save Labour. He earned even more of it as prime minister, restoring Britain’s place in the world."
Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor
Image source, ReutersDmity Peskov indicated the Russians don't expect much to change
The Kremlin won’t be sorry to see Keir Starmer leave Downing Street.
"Keir Starmer hasn’t distinguished himself at all in terms of Russia-UK relations,” President Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov tells me on the daily Kremlin conference call for journalists.
“He was always a supporter of maintaining these relations at the very lowest level...We don’t remember anything noteworthy about him in the job."
But the Russian authorities aren’t expecting much to change, in terms of the relationship between Russia and Britain.
“It’s unlikely that anyone on the British political scene will have a different position to Keir Starmer on our bilateral relations,” Peskov says.
This morning’s edition of the Russian government newspaper, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, describes Andy Burnham as “a consistent critic of Russia, who constantly calls for the West to adopt a tougher stance on Russia".
Ben King
Business reporter
There was a muted reaction on financial markets to Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as prime minister.
The effective interest rate on the benchmark 10-year UK government bond fell around 0.035%, a slightly larger fall than other European bonds.
There was a notable drop in UK bond yields shortly after 11am, as Wes Streeting announced that he was backing Andy Burnham - reducing the likelihood of a long and bruising succession battle.
The FTSE 100 index of leading shares rose about 25 points following Streeting's announcement, to hit 10,388.
The pound is up around 0.5 cents against the dollar since Sir Keir's resignation, though the euro was also up against the dollar - suggesting the move is not entirely in response to UK political news.
Joe Pike
Political correspondent
A spokesperson for Wes Streeting has told the BBC he hasn't done any deal with Andy Burnham.
It's after the former health secretary announced he'll be backing Burnham for the Labour leadership; Streeting had previously suggested he would compete if Stamer's role was challenged.
"There’s no deal", Streeting's team says.
"Wes hasn’t done this because he’s been offered a job. He’s done it because it’s the best way forward for the country."
Image source, PA Media
Image source, ReutersKeir Starmer is stepping down as prime minister and Labour leader.
Here is what you need to know this Monday lunchtime:
Emotional speech: At Downing Street this morning, Starmer said that becoming prime minister had been the "proudest moment" of his life, but he accepts with "good grace" that he no longer has his party's backing.
Burnham arrives: Potential successor Andy Burnham, fresh off his win in last week's Makerfield by-election, is due in Westminster today to be sworn in as an MP, clearing the way for him to stand for the leadership. He has already said he intends to stand.
Orderly handover: Starmer will remain in office until Labour selects a new leader, which will happen before parliament returns in September if there is a contest. His weekly audiences with the King will continue while he remains at No 10.
Streeting backs Burnham: Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, says he is backing Burnham for leader. Streeting was seen as another potential candidate, and his stepping aside helps clears the way for Burnham.
Political reaction: Labour MPs are paying tribute to Starmer and his legacy, while Reform's Nigel Farage is calling for a general election. The Conservatives said earlier that's not necessary. The Lib Dems' Ed Davey says the public is "sick" of constantly changing leaders, while Greens leader Zack Polanski says the next PM "must be bold".
Family time: Starmer says he will now focus on being the best husband and dad to his "fantastic wife" and "beautiful children, who are my pride and joy".
Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent
After Wes Streeting’s announcement that he is backing Andy Burnham, it feels this contest is probably over before it has really begun.
It’s possible that a die hard Starmerite will feel obliged to at least temporarily put up a fight against Burnham, but right now it feels unlikely — and even more unlikely that any candidate would get to the magic number of 81 MPs they need to back them to stand.
The crude political reality is that even Labour MPs with misgivings about Burnham are now likely to back him in the hope of getting a job in his government.
Image source, PA MediaOn social media, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch reacts to Wes Streeting's decision to support Andy Burnham, rather then pursue his own leadership ambitions.
"If you're not running, what are we waiting for?" she asks - seemingly referring to the timetable to replace Keir Starmer.
Earlier, Starmer said he would ask the Labour Party's National Executive Committee that nominations for the new leader open on 9 July.
He said this will be completed "by the summer recess", which is a week later, on 16 July.
In the case of a contest, this will ensure a new leader is in place by the time Parliament returns from its summer break on 1 September, he said.
Image source, ReutersMore senior Labour figures have been sharing messages of support for Keir Starmer in the wake of his resignation.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says: "Keir Starmer led our party from the brink, back to power." His achievement will "never be forgotten", she adds.
"The Labour Party and the country owes a great deal to Keir Starmer," Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden writes on social media.
Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband says Starmer's statement outside Downing Street showed "the great dignity and integrity that is the mark of the man".
And, after applauding Starmer's speech, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones says he's grateful for his leadership and wishes Starmer's family well "for what comes next".
