France, July 17 -- With centre-left Labour holding an overwhelming majority in parliament, the 56-year-old is set to replace Starmer in 10 Downing Street on Monday - just four weeks after he sensationally returned as an MP following a nine-year absence.

Burnham - nicknamed "King of the North" for winning three successive elections to the Greater Manchester mayoralty - faced no challengers for the Labour leadership.

He becomes the party's leader at the third attempt following failed bids in 2010 and 2015.

An MP between 2001 and 2017 and former government minister, Burnham has since reinvented himself as a man of the people, blending a relaxed folksy style with slick social media videos.

Hailing from the party's so-called soft left, he ...