India, July 17 -- Labour Party members and lawmakers are gathering at a special conference in central London on Friday to formally elect Andy Burnham as the party's new leader, a coronation that comes after he secured overwhelming backing from Labour parliamentarians and cleared the field of rival contenders.

The event today is expected to be little more than a formality. Burnham, 56, has given only one speech since returning to Parliament last month after winning a seat in Makerfield that triggered the resignation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and set in motion the four-week internal process that now brings Burnham to the threshold of 10 Downing Street.

Burnham, Britain's incoming premier expected to be pledged on Monday after ongoing...