LONDON : Andy Burnham was elected leader of Britain’s governing Labour Party on Friday, paving the way for him to become the country’s next prime minister and succeed Keir Starmer.

Burnham, a former mayor of Greater Manchester and a prominent figure on Labour’s left, is expected to be formally appointed prime minister on Monday after securing the party leadership at a special Labour conference.

In his first address as leader, Burnham pledged to restore hope and confidence across the country, promising to focus on communities that he said had been overlooked by mainstream politics.

“We are united, and we put the power that comes from that unity at the service of people and places who have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again,” Burnham told party members and lawmakers. “We’re going to give them hope back.”

His elevation comes at a challenging time for Britain, with the government facing persistent cost-of-living pressures, sluggish economic growth and international tensions linked to ongoing conflicts overseas.

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