Politics

The King of the North: Who is the politician seen as the next potential British PM?

Published On Mon, 22 Jun 2026
Meera Iyer
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Keir Starmer has revealed that he will step down as prime minister less than two years after securing an election win, setting off a contest to choose the next Labour leader. As Labour MPs grow increasingly concerned about the rising influence of Nigel Farage’s Reform party, attention has turned to Andy Burnham, the politician nicknamed the “King of the North.” His strong performance in a local by-election last weekend has fuelled speculation that he could be a future occupant of No. 10. Reged Ahmad speaks with North of England editor Josh Halliday about Burnham’s growing political momentum, why he is being viewed as a potential next British prime minister, and why the coming week could shape the future direction of UK politics.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.