Hero's welcome for Andy Burnham in Westminster as Labour MPs pay homage to the King of the North

The public show of support for Mr Burnham suggests little appetite for a leadership contest

Andy Burnham with colleagues from the Parliamentary Labour Party in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament in central London, as he returns to the House of Commons to take up his seat after winning the Makerfield by-election. Picture date: Monday June 22, 2026.

Andy Burnham was given a hero’s welcome by Labour MPs at Westminster who know that in a few weeks he could be leading them.

The new Makerfield MP posed for pictures with scores of his new parliamentary colleagues including Wes Streeting, the former health secretary who had been seen as his main rival for the leadership before throwing his weight behind him on Monday morning.