London | Andy Burnham was on Friday confirmed as the newly elected leader of the UK's governing Labour Party, becoming the prime minister-designate to take charge at 10 Downing Street next week.

Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) chair Shabana Mahmood made the announcement at a special party conference in London.

"There was only one nominated MP… hardly a nail biter," she said.

On Monday, Burnham will be invited by King Charles III to form a new government after outgoing PM Keir Starmer formally tenders his resignation to the monarch.