Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent, at Westminster

Image source, Getty Images

If there is any doubt that this leadership election is over before it has begun, the whoops and cheers with which around 200 Labour MPs greeted Andy Burnham as he arrived for a photo with them just now ought to expunge it.

Burnham got out his phone and took a selfie with the crowd, straining to fit them all into one screen.

Within weeks it may fall to him to fit them all into a cohesive government and political project.

Image source, Getty Images

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent, at Westminster

I’m in Westminster Hall, where MPs are assembling to have their photo taken with Andy Burnham.

This is standard practice with any by-election winner - but this feels anything but standard.

The mood is beyond celebratory.

It’s impossible to separate the fact of this photo from what so many Labour MPs now see as Burnham’s inevitable move into No 10.

And it is notable to see so many senior figures from Keir Starmer’s government among those who got here earliest for a prime spot.

Among Starmer’s close cabinet allies who are in prominent positions for this photo are Rachel Reeves and Jonathan Reynolds, the chief whip — both front and centre — as well as Steve Reed and Nick Thomas-Symonds.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, PA Media

We've also been hearing from Wes Streeting, the former health secretary who confirmed earlier today he would shelve his leadership bid and back Andy Burnham.

He praises Burnham's ability to win in Makerfield, which had "overwhelmingly rejected Labour" in the local elections in May.

Streeting says that result shows that "if Labour changes, we can still win", adding: "I think Andy is the person to lead us to do that."

He says Burnham "has got [his] full backing" and is capable of delivering the mandate Labour was elected on.

Asked if he had been promised a role in a future Burnham government in return for his support, Streeting says: "He has not offered me any jobs. That's not what our conversations have been about. This has been about ideas."

Image source, House of Commons

Andy Burnham is met by huge cheers from the Labour benches as he steps into a crowded House of Commons.

He takes the oath, following new SNP MP Lara Bird and the new Conservative MP Douglas Lumsden.

He bows his head several times as he makes his way through the chamber, and grins as he is greeted by supportive MPs.

Burnham then has a friendly exchange with the Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle as he formally becomes the Makerfield MP.

Image source, House of Commons

Image source, Reuters

Andy Burnham has just arrived in Westminster, where he will be formally sworn in as an MP.

You will be able to watch that moment in the Commons at the top of this page soon - and in the meantime, we'll continue to bring you the latest reaction and analysis to today's dramatic developments.

We're expecting a swearing in ceremony for new MPs to take place at around 14:30 BST in the House of Commons, which you will be able to watch at the top of the page.

Andy Burnham, the new MP for Makerfield, will be among the three MPs sworn in today, alongside Douglas Lumsden, who won a by-election in Aberdeen South, and Lara Bird - who held Arbroath and Broughty Ferry for the SNP.

New members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords take an oath of allegiance to the Crown before taking their seats in Parliament.

MPs either swear in using a religious text or take a non-religious, solemn affirmation.

Image source, PA Media

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has repeated his call for an early general election, comparing Westminster to "Italian-style farce politics".

He says "whoever becomes the prime minister will not have been voted for by the British public", and adds that Andy Burnham did not stand at the last general election on Labour's manifesto.

Farage adds: "I really do think that my call for there to be a general election as soon as is possible - I think you'll find a lot of support for that."

Katie Thompson
Reporting from West Bromwich town centre

Sandwell Council flipped from Labour to Reform in last month's local elections, ending the party’s 47-year spell in control.

This is the kind of place the new prime minister will need to win at the next election in order for Labour to stay in power.

The response to Keir Starmer's resignation has been largely positive in West Bromwich town centre, with the majority of people saying it’s overdue.

Dave Holmes says it was right for Starmer to go, adding it was his U-turn on the winter fuel allowance that did it for him.

“About time. He’s useless. He says one thing then changes his mind,” he says, adding: “He’s bad, I don’t like him. I've not seen much integrity from him. But it’s not good to keep changing the prime minister. Let them have their five years."

Mandy Wood, 71, says it's “brilliant” news, and adds: “But nothing is going to change. I don’t like Labour, I don’t like Keir Starmer. His policies, he’s just turn around, turn around all the while.”

Sara Guest says: “We need a total change of government. He’s a weak leader but I don’t think Andy Bunham is going to be any better to be fair. In some ways we think he’s going to be worse, as he’s even more to the left than Keir Starmer is.”

Image source, ITN Pool

We've now heard more from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch on today's developments. She says: "There are critical decisions that need to be made and the prime minister is setting out his farewell tour while Andy Burnham wants a summer holiday.

"It is really, really important that we ensure the country is being governed."

She adds that "whatever happens now we need to make sure that national security is the number one agenda", but that the next Labour leader will "still have the same problem - those Labour backbenchers who are not interested in defence and refuse to bring down the welfare bill".

David Deans
BBC Wales political reporter

Image source, PA Media / Welsh government

Wales' first minister, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has wished Sir Keir Starmer well after his resignation, but has called for a "new relationship" with his successor.

Ap Iorwerth said he was "disappointed that the Welsh government's ability to engage with the UK prime minister on issues which matter to the people of Wales" was "being hampered by the turmoil in Westminster".

Starmer had promised to meet the first minister and leaders of Scotland and Northern Ireland's governments in June, but the meeting failed to materialise.

Ap Iorwerth says: "I would like to see his successor recognising that Wales needs a new relationship with Westminster, with a focus on greater powers, fair funding, and respect for the democratic mandate delivered by the people of Wales.

"My government and I will always seek a constructive relationship with whoever is in No 10, but we have clear expectations that the respect agenda must work both ways."

Meanwhile, the interim leader of Welsh Labour Ken Skates praised Sir Keir, saying he "brought our party back from oblivion and delivered one of the greatest victories the Labour Party has seen".

More now from Andy Burnham's comments to reporters as he arrived at Euston.

First, Burnham reiterates his statement from earlier this morning - praising Keir Starmer's time in office and confirming he will stand to replace him as Labour leader and prime minister.

As we mentioned in our previous post, Burnham is then asked about a 2022 tweet, in which he called for a general election on the day Liz Truss resigned as prime minister (see screenshot above).

"I think you're jumping several hurdles ahead there - my priority today is to be sworn is as the MP for Makerfield," he says.

He says it has been "very sad" to leave Greater Manchester, where he was the mayor - saying he hopes he has left the region in a "better place".

Burnham is due to be sworn in as the new MP for Makerfield in the House of Commons this afternoon.

Andy Burnham tells the BBC that it is "jumping several hurdles" when asked if there should be a general election if he becomes prime minister.

We'll bring you more in a moment.

Andy Burnham's train has just arrived at London Euston station - our reporters on the ground will try to speak to the man on course to be the next prime minister.

He'll be formally sworn in as the new MP for Makerfield shortly.

Jamie Moughton
Reporting from the 10:54 Manchester to London train

I've just spoken to the deputy leader of the Labour Party and longstanding Burnham ally Lucy Powell on the train taking the new Makerfield MP to Westminster.

Powell praises Starmer for "turning the party around" and says the PM gave a "dignified and graceful" resignation speech.

She says the party now needs to show it can "do an orderly transition well", and says that she will make sure the process is "fair and smooth and hopefully relatively quick".

Asked if she expects a job in any future Burnham-led government, she replies: "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Mark Lowen
Reporting from Euston

A few dozen journalists have gathered at London Euston station, waiting for the most famous passenger of the 10:54 from Manchester Piccadilly to arrive.

Station staff are here too, knowing there’s no way to keep the cameras and microphones in check.

The scramble to get a word with the likely next occupant of No 10 is likely to be big and messy.

Image source, Reuters

Andy Burnham is taking an Avanti West Coast service from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston.

The service is running slightly behind schedule and is now expected to arrive at 13:28 rather than 13:09 BST. National Rail says this is due to a late-running train ahead on the line.

Our reporter Jamie Moughton is on the same service. He tried to speak to Burnham about his leadership bid, but the new MP for Makerfield is keeping tight-lipped during the journey.

Burnham is accompanied by a team of around half a dozen staff, and appears to have a security detail with him too,Moughton writes from the train.

Jane, 65, from Cardiff, says Starmer gave an "excellent speech" in Downing Street this morning, and describes him as a "man of integrity". She says she is "sorry he's stepping down".

Adrian, 68, from Truro, is more critical of the prime minister, saying he and Chancellor Rachel Reeves "ruined the job market for youngsters especially, closed thousands of businesses...[and] targeted pensioners".

Lorna in Norwich says "you can sack as many managers as you want" but unless you address "the work culture or other workers, nothing will change".

Richard in Ashford describes today's news as a "nasty hatchet job on an honourable man, doing his best for the country".

But Sally in Yorkshire says Starmer's resignation is "better late than never" and calls for a general election "urgently".

• You can get in touch using this contact form or emailing yourvoice@bbc.co.uk, external

Image source, PA Media

While Labour MPs have previously raised concerns about Starmer's communication skills, No 10's former communications director believes his downfall isn't down to messaging.

Speaking to BBC News, James Lyons, who left the post last year, says "I don’t think you can put it down to communications", noting that Starmer has overseen several changes in No 10 communications team while in office.

He says Labour's initial 2024 decision to cut winter fuel payments - although since largely reversed - is "still brought up by voters on the doorstep".

Lyons says last summer's welfare vote "cast him into political purgatory", but adds that Starmer will be remembered by some for "rescuing" the Labour Party after its 2019 election loss.

Fact-checking Starmer’s claims about time as PMpublished at 12:55 BST

12:55 BST

By Lucy Gilder and Tamara Kovacevic

Keir Starmer made several claims about his record as prime minister when he announced his resignation.

'Small boat crossings falling, asylum hotels closing'

Small boat crossings fell in the first six months of this year compared with the same period in 2025. About 10,000 crossings were recorded up to 20 June - a 42% decrease on the same period last year.

But last year’s total was the second highest after 2022’s peak under the previous Conservative government.

Starmer’s government has cut the use of hotels for asylum seekers - transferring them to other types of accommodation including former military sites. Government figures do not show the number of asylum seekers in houses of multiple occupancy.

As of April there were just under 190 hotels still in use, external down from a peak of nearly 400 in 2023. However, this number had already halved to 213 in June 2024 under the Conservatives, according to data obtained by BBC Verify.

'The biggest uplift in defence spending since the Cold War'

Starmer’s government planned to spend 2.5% of GDP in 2027/28, rising to 3% in the next parliament, making it the biggest increase since the Cold War.

In the 1950s, defence spending was over 7% of GDP. By 1989 - when the Berlin Wall came down - it was 3.3% and at times has fallen below 2%, so spending 2.5% of GDP on defence would eclipse any small increases since the 1990s.

After days of speculation, Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as Labour leader and PM.

It comes after Andy Burnham's victory in last week's Makerfield by-election - he is now on his way to Westminster to be sworn in.

Here are some of Monday's key moments:

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters