SOUTHAMPTON MP Alan Whitehead is backing favourite Andy Burnham to be the next Labour leader – describing his campaign as “bang on”.

The Test MP has thrown his weight behind the former health secretary, saying: “It’s make your mind up time for Labour MPs.

“I feel Andy has the leadership ability, can unite all wings of the party and has the record to appeal to wide sections of the public.

“He has been an effective shadow health secretary and has done a lot of work on other things, including football safety.

“Andy is very keen on a fair society – that’s his central theme and that’s bang on where I am and where I see the Labour party being.”

Mr Burnham is the bookies’ and – almost certainly - the trade unions’ favourite and has already cleared the threshold of 35 endorsements from Labour MPs, 15 per cent of the total.

That has given him a huge lead over his chief rivals, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and fast-rising care spokeswoman Liz Kendall.

A fourth candidate, international aid spokeswoman Mary Creagh, has only a handful of backers and is struggling to get in the race.

Asked if Mr Burnham is the favourite, Mr Whitehead replied: “Yes, but there has been a change to the way the leader is elected and there is a long campaign to go.”

The trades unions are no longer given a one-third share of an electoral college – but individual members can sign up to vote alongside full-paying party members and MPs.

Nominations open officially next week, with voting to take place from August 14. The ballot closes on September 10, with the result declared two days later, at a special conference.

While Mr Burnham is viewed as the unions’ favourite, Ms Kendall is seen as the “change candidate”, while Ms Cooper has warned against lurching to either left or right.