General Election 2015

A week after Ed Miliband resigned as Labour leader one of the contenders for his job has had a double boost to his campaign today. North West MP Andy Burnham has fewer rivals in the race after shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna withdrew earlier today. Mr Burnham who kept his Leigh seat last week is one of the favourites to succeed. The shadow health secretary also joined Mr Umunna in the top five politicians with the biggest growth in Twitter followers since their party lost the election.

Leigh MP Andy Burnham has launched his campaign for the Labour leadership with a pledge to unite the party and the country.

The Shadow Health Secretary used a video message to set out his stall for the top job.

David Cameron has named Edward Timpson as the new Minister of State for Children and Families at the Department for Education

Mr Timpson first became an MP in 2008 after winning a by-election in the constituency of Crewe and Nantwich, and has been re-elected twice.

Tim Farron has won the support of his Scottish and Welsh counterparts, as a possible contender for the Liberal Democrat leadership role.

Farron has not yet said if he intends to run for the post but he is already being touted by colleagues Willie Rennie and Kirsty Williams as "an inspirational leader".

Rennie and Williams released a joint statement today that said: "Tim is a committed liberal, a brilliant communicator, an outstanding campaigner and an inspirational leader.

"With him as leader we can show that we are a compassionate, tolerant, internationalist, reformist party that looks beyond sectional interest to the greater good, to our children's future not just ours, that believes in partnership home and abroad, not division, that is liberal and democratic."

Watch a special edition of Granada Reports as the North West takes in one of the most dramatic General Election results in British Politics.

The dramatic departures of Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg means this region could soon be boasting two of the main party leaders.

Yes, step forward the Leigh Labour MP Andy Burnham and Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat MP for the Cumbrian constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale.

Our correspondent Matt O'Donoghue reports now on the two men who could now be right at the heart of the country's political future.

Although it only officially started a month ago, in reality the parties have been fighting for votes since Christmas.

As the results started to sink in we went back to some of our voters of today and voters of the future.

Our political report Daniel Hewitt gives an overview of the main election headlines from the North West:

MORE: General Election 2015 - All the North West's winners and losers

After Nick Clegg's resignation as Liberal Democrats leader, the Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron is now favourite to take the position.

We spoke to voters in the town of Kendal to find out if they think he's the man for the job.

George Osborne has been reappointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, as David Cameron named the most senior members of his new Conservative Cabinet.

Mr Osborne was also officially made the most senior Cabinet minister beneath the Prime Minister with the title First Secretary of State - effectively equivalent to deputy PM - which was previously held by William Hague.

Mr Osborne arrived at 10 Downing Street shortly after the Prime Minister announced that he was set to announce a number of Cabinet posts.