World

Andy Burnham Vies for Labour Leadership Following Starmer's Resignation

Herz — World Desk · 17 July 2026 at 07:14 · 30s summary · 2 min read

The essentials

Andy Burnham, former mayor of Greater Manchester, announced his candidacy for British Labour Party leadership, aiming to become Prime Minister. His candidacy follows Keir Starmer's resignation after less than two years in office, during which Labour lost constituencies to Reform UK, the far-right party led by Nigel Farage. Burnham advocates for stronger devolution of power to regions and measures to tackle the high cost of living. The EU is considering reforms to its carbon market emissions system, balancing industrial concerns against climate objectives.

Andy Burnham Announces Candidacy for Labour Leadership After Starmer's Resignation
He Advocates for Devolution of Power and Measures to Address the High Cost of Living
Under Starmer, Labour Lost Constituencies to Nigel Farage's Reform UK
The EU is Considering Reform of Its Carbon Market Emissions System to Maintain Climate Goals
Nearly 40 Major Companies, Including BASF and Thyssenkrupp, Fear Factory Closures and Relocations

What We Know

Andy Burnham, former mayor of the Greater Manchester metropolitan area, has announced his candidacy for the leadership of the British Labour Party, according to Die Zeit. His stated objective is to become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

This candidacy comes after the resignation of Keir Starmer, who has been in office for less than two years.

Under Starmer's leadership, Labour had gradually lost constituencies to Reform UK — a British far-right, populist and eurosceptic political party, formerly known as the Brexit Party and led by Nigel Farage.

Burnham's programme is built on two pillars: strong decentralization of government with greater power granted to regions, and measures to address the high cost of living in the United Kingdom.

European Carbon Market: Reform Under Tension

The European Union is planning to reform its emissions trading system — known by the German acronym EU-Emissionshandel — in order to maintain its climate objectives without weakening industry.

Nearly 40 companies, including industrial groups BASF and Thyssenkrupp, have warned that the gradual phasing out of free CO₂ certificates would result in a sharp increase in their costs. They cite risks of factory closures and relocations.

Environmental advocates, meanwhile, oppose any relaxation of climate objectives as part of this reform.

What Remains Uncertain

Available information does not specify either the exact date of Keir Starmer's resignation or the timeline for the Labour leadership election. Details of the economic measures proposed by Burnham regarding the cost of living are also not disclosed. Regarding the reform of the European carbon market, no precise timeline or modalities are provided in the available sources. Note: no verified definition of the EU's emissions trading mechanism was available in the reference data provided.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Keir Starmer resign?

Available sources do not specify the precise reasons for his resignation. It is known that he had been in office for less than two years and that Labour had lost constituencies to Reform UK under his leadership.

What is Reform UK?

Reform UK is a far-right, populist and eurosceptic British political party, formerly known as the Brexit Party. It is led by Nigel Farage, the central figure in the movement for the UK's exit from the European Union.

What is Andy Burnham's programme?