Starmer has a real competitor for the post of Prime Minister of Great Britain. What the media is writing

By-elections were held in the UK, in which the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, representing the Labor Party, won a seat in parliament. The MP's mandate will allow him to challenge Keir Starmer in the fight for the post of prime Minister. The current head of government is increasingly being called upon to resign. How the media reacts to what is happening in British politics is in the Izvestia digest.

CNN: Starmer's main rival for the post of prime minister has won a seat in parliament

British politician Andy Burnham can now challenge British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for leadership of the ruling Labour Party and the country by winning a landslide election as a member of parliament from the Makerfield constituency. The by-election held on June 18 was organized with the sole purpose of providing a path to Downing Street for Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, whom many consider the most suitable politician from the Labour Party to oust the under-pressure prime minister.

Burnham, a former member of the government who served as mayor of Greater Manchester for almost a decade, is returning to parliament at a crucial moment for his party. After a convincing victory in the 2024 elections, which led to the formation of the first Labour government in the UK in 14 years, the party under Starmer's leadership experienced a sharp decline in popularity. This led to crushing defeats in the local council elections in early May, while the Reform UK party made significant gains. Since only current MPs can run for prime minister, Burnham had previously been unable to officially challenge Starmer.

The Guardian: Burnham's victory puts pressure on Starmer, forcing him to resign

A few hours before the polls closed in Makerfield, a Downing Street source acknowledged a rare moment of doubt about the future prime minister. In the end, Burnham's majority of votes turned out to be so convincing that his allies hope he will be able to take over as prime minister within a few days. Louise Hague, a Labour MP who helped Burnham in his election campaign, said: "I hope [Starmer] will consider the possibility of an orderly and controlled transition of power."

People close to Burnham say he has the support of more than 81 MPs needed to start the party leadership election, in which Starmer will automatically be eligible to run if he wishes. But they hope that it won't come to that, and that in the next few days the ministers will calmly convince the Prime Minister to agree to the transfer of power. Polls show that Labor is capable of winning six percentage points more votes if Burnham were prime minister, although even his allies admit that he would face the same political dilemmas that baffled Starmer.

The New York Times: Who is Andy Burnham, who could be the next prime minister?

Burnham ran unsuccessfully twice for the leadership of the Labour Party. Now his convincing victory in the snap parliamentary elections brings him closer not only to this goal, but also to assuming the post of Prime Minister in Downing Street. Known for his benevolent nature and charisma, Burnham served as mayor of Greater Manchester for nine years, where he cultivated an image of optimism, activism and genuine directness typical of Northern England.

Burnham enrolled in the English department at Cambridge University and after graduation followed the beaten path to political fame: first he worked as a researcher for Tessa Jowell, a member of parliament from South London, and then as an adviser to Chris Smith, then Minister of Culture. At Cambridge, he met Marie-Frans Van Heel, a native of the Netherlands, and they later married and had three children. After the 2001 election, he became a junior minister in Tony Blair's Labour government. He was appointed to the Cabinet under Gordon Brown and served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, and then Minister of Health.

BBC News: Burnham says Labour has last chance for change

Burnham said Labour had a "last chance for change" after his victory in the Makerfield by-election, which paved the way for him to challenge Starmer for the leadership of the party. Burnham said his victory could be a "turning point" for the country, and promised not to use this constituency as a springboard for further promotion.

Prime Minister Starmer congratulated Burnham. In his message, he said: "The voters chose the Labour Party's campaign based on hope and optimism, instead of division and hatred." At the same time, Burnham's allies intensified calls for Starmer to resign.

Reuters: What is Andy Burnham's concept of "Manchesterism"?

Burnham's return to parliament has made the mayor of Greater Manchester the main contender for the post of prime minister after Starmer, and with him comes "Manchesterism", his vision for the future of Great Britain. The 56-year-old politician wants to use the lessons of Manchester's rapid economic recovery to rebuild the British economy, which is suffering from unstable growth and strained public finances.

Burnham promised to rebuild the UK's financial structure by giving local communities direct control over what shapes daily life: housing, utilities, transport and education. He has not yet outlined how he will balance taxes, spending and borrowing. His election campaign is focused on trying to convince investors of his financial viability. At the same time, in September last year, Burnham alarmed investors by saying that the UK needed to "overcome this dependence on the bond market." Burnham argues that years of privatization and deregulation have not only deprived the government of control over its costs and services, but have also made it ineffective.