London: Andy Burnham secured 322 nominations Thursday from Labour MPs on the first day of the party's leadership contest, putting him on course to become the next leader of the Labour Party.

According to Anadolu Agency, the number of nominations leaves him just one short of a point at which no other candidate could secure the 81 MP nominations needed to progress to the next stage of the contest. No other Labour MP has been nominated.

In a post on the US social media platform X after nominations closed for the day, the former Greater Manchester mayor said: "As the first day of nominations draws to a close, I am deeply grateful to the 322 Labour MPs who have put their trust in me and nominated me for Leader of the Labour Party."

"Their support comes from across the PLP and reflects a shared belief that Britain needs a new approach to politics. That is the circuit breaker I am offering: power out of Westminster, an economy rewired for ordinary people, and good growth in every postcode," he added.

"I want to empower MPs to bring the experiences of their constituents into the heart of government, and harness the full breadth of our Labour movement, drawing on all its traditions and beliefs in pursuit of a common purpose."

Nominations close on Wednesday next week. After that, Burnham will need the backing of three Labour affiliates, including at least two trade unions, to qualify for the next stage of the contest.

If that happens, a special conference will be held on July 17 to formally confirm him as the new Labour leader. He would then become prime minister on July 20.