LONDON: Andy Burnham has moved closer to becoming the United Kingdom’s next prime minister after receiving overwhelming support from Labor lawmakers to lead the party.

Burnham has secured nominations from 322 of Labor’s 402 MPs, leaving him just one nomination short of the threshold needed to block any rival from entering the leadership race. With several absent MPs expected to back him, Burnham is increasingly likely to face no challenger.

If no other candidate enters the contest, Burnham could be declared Labor leader next week and take office as prime minister on July 20.

The former Greater Manchester mayor returned to Parliament after winning a by-election in Makerfield. He thanked his colleagues for their support and said his leadership would focus on shifting power away from Westminster and creating economic opportunities across the country.

Burnham’s rise follows Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation after Labor suffered heavy losses in May’s local elections and faced growing calls for a change in leadership.