Former British health minister Wes Streeting said he would back Andy Burnham to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister, taking himself out of the contest and bolstering Burnham's position as frontrunner.
Starmer announced his resignation earlier on Monday.
Streeting, who quit Starmer's government in protest in May, had previously said he would take part in any contest to become prime minister.
But he threw his weight behind Burnham in a letter posted on X on Monday, saying the pair had spoken at length in recent days. Streeting said he was convinced there was a place for his ideas on "progressive capitalism" under Burnham.
"We could spend the summer exaggerating small differences, or we can roll up our sleeves and help him to deliver the change our party and our country needs," Streeting said in his letter.
Nominations for Starmer's replacement as leader of the Labour Party will open on July 9, close by mid-July, and if there is a contest, a new leader will be in place by September.
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British Labour lawmaker Andy Burnham arrived at Manchester Piccadilly train station on his way to London on Monday (June 22) to be sworn in as a member of parliament.
Burnham said he would put himself forward to enter the contest to replace Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, hours after Starmer announced his was resigning.
Starmer said on Monday a new leader would be in place by the time parliament returns in September, paving the way for Britain to have its seventh leader in 10 years.
He said nominations for anyone to replace him would open on July 9. Burnham looks to be the clear frontrunner.