Andy Burnham could be effectively confirmed as PM by 6pm on July 15, under a timetable announced by Labour today.

MPs' nominations for the party leadership are due to close at that time, meaning the former Greater Manchester Mayor should know whether anyone else is challenging.

The schedule laid out by Labour's ruling NEC would see Mr Burnham formally take over from Keir Starmer in No10 two days later.

The plans have been finalised as Sir Keir insisted he wants to 'minimise disruption' and behave with 'good grace' following his resignation on Monday.

The outgoing premier also pointedly claimed he was 'leaving the country in a better position than when I found it', after being effectively forced out by pressure from MPs. 

Details of the process published by the NEC reveal that leadership nominations open on Thursday, July 9.

Labour MPs and peers will be able to take part in hustings for prospective candidates on Monday, July 13.

Labour affiliates – the trade unions and socialist societies – will then get a chance to nominate their preferred candidate between 6pm on Wednesday, July 15, and 6pm on Thursday, July 16.

The main bar to entry for candidates is securing 81 nominations from MPs - with only Mr Burnham currently looking like making the threshold.

Former defence minister Al Carns is the only senior figure still openly considering standing, although he seems to be focused on gaining leverage for more military funding.

Assuming Mr Burnham is the only contender, a leadership 'special conference' will be held on Friday, July 17, confirming him as the winner. He would then switch over with Sir Keir in Downing Street almost immediately.

If there is more than one candidate, local Labour branches will have a chance to make nominations between July 20 and July 31.

Labour members would then be balloted between August 6 and August 27, and the result of the contest would be announced on Saturday, August 29.

Sir Keir provoked laughter in the Commons yesterday when he insisted he was 'pleased' Mr Burnham won the Makerfield by-election - a victory that effectively ended his political career. 

Speaking on a visit to a cinema in Milton Keynes today, the PM said: 'I am stepping down after two years, leaving the country in a better position than when I found it.

'I will do that with good grace, and I will do that making sure that there is an orderly transition, and that is what I am going to do.

'I'm going to be professional, I'm going to have foremost in my mind a sense of service and duty that has driven me as Prime Minister.

'I will continue to faithfully serve my country to make sure that any disruption is absolutely minimised, and that's why I'm taking steps now to ensure that can be done in a sensible way.'