LIVERPOOL-born Andy Burham, MP for Leigh and the Shadow Health Secretary, has launched his campaign for the Labour leadership with a video message warning Labour voters that the party had "lost its emotional connection with millions of people".

Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell is currently 50/1 to become the next Labour leader

"Our challenge is not to go left or right, to focus on one part of the country over the other" Burham continues in the message, "but to rediscover the beating heart of Labour, and that must always be about the aspirations of everyone, speaking to them like we did in 1997."

The 45-year-old - the MP for Leigh since 2001 and Shadow Health Secretary since 2011 - has emerged as an early favourite in the race for the leadership, with reports suggesting he has the backing of over 60 MPs (around 25% of the party)

Candidates require nominations from 15% of the party (35 MPs) by June 15 to stand for leader.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper followed Burnham's announcement only a few hours later by throwing her substantial hat into the ring in an article for the Daily Mirror.

Cooper, 46, MP for Pontefract and Castleford since 1997 and the former Housing Minister under Gordon Brown, said: "I don't want to be the next leader of the Labour Party just because there's a vacancy, I want to make life better for Britain's families."

Burnham and Cooper will be joined by Manchester University graduate, MP for Streatham and Shadow Minister for Business, Chuka Umunna, 36, and Liz Kendall, 43, MP for Leicester West and Shadow Minister for Care, in the race to replace Ed Miliband following last week's general election result.

It is still uncertain whether Tristram Hunt, 40, MP for Stoke and Shadow Education Secretary, will contest the leadership.

.Manchester University graduate Chuka Umunna is currently favourite with 6/4 odds

Ladbrokes currently have Chuka Umunna as favourite with 6/4 odds of becoming the next leader, with Andy Burnham 5/2, Yvette Cooper 4/1, Liz Kendall 6/1 and Tristum Hunt 12/1. 

David Miliband sits as an outsider at 33/1, while Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell is currently 50/1 to become the next Labour leader.

The result will be announced on September 12 before the party conference on 27 September.