Andy Burnham has become the new leader of the UK Labour Party. This was announced at a special conference of the party governing the United Kingdom by the head of its National Executive Committee, Shabana Mahmood. Sky News is broadcasting the event live.

Given that Labour is in power, the 56-year-old politician will assume the post of prime minister, which Keir Starmer had previously decided to leave. The change of leadership on Downing Street is scheduled for July 20.

The nomination period for candidates for the post of Labour Party leader ended on July 15, but no one other than Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, put themselves forward. The politician was backed by 369 of the 403 Labour MPs and by all trade unions affiliated with the party. Thus, he became leader of the Labour Party unopposed or, as the British media put it, was “crowned” to the post.