By a Correspondent
LONDON – Andy Burnham has officially become the United Kingdom’s new prime minister after meeting King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on Monday, completing the constitutional process of forming a new government.
Burnham, who recently won the Labour Party leadership, becomes Britain’s seventh prime minister in the past decade, underscoring the political instability that has followed the country’s 2016 vote to leave the European Union.
He succeeds Sir Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation in June after mounting pressure from within his party. Several Cabinet ministers quit amid falling public support and growing concerns over his leadership, paving the way for a Labour leadership contest.
A former Health Secretary and long-serving Mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham returned to frontline national politics after winning a high-stakes parliamentary by-election in June, allowing him to contest the Labour leadership.
Burnham promises change
In his first address outside 10 Downing Street, Burnham acknowledged growing public frustration with politics and pledged to restore confidence in government.
“I am acutely aware that I am the seventh prime minister in 10 years,” he said.
“I know people at home are fed up with politics. I hear you. We have not been good enough, and we need to be better.”
Burnham promised to deliver “the biggest changes in the last 40 years”, saying his government would pursue a new economic and political direction for Britain.
Without naming any former leaders, he criticised decades of privatisation and de-industrialisation, saying they had left many communities behind. He pledged to unveil a comprehensive 10-year plan for economic renewal before the end of the year.
Recognising the country’s ongoing cost-of-living pressures, Burnham said his government would introduce measures to ease the burden on households as early as Tuesday.
He also identified tackling homelessness and the housing crisis as his immediate priorities.
“My first concern is to end rough sleeping in this country,” Burnham said, adding that his mission was to “bring back hope” for people across the UK.
International congratulations
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Burnham on social media, saying she looked forward to strengthening relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom.
“I look forward to working with you to strengthen the EU-UK partnership—for the security of our shared continent and the prosperity of people on both sides of the Channel,” she wrote.
Starmer bows out
Before Burnham’s appointment, Starmer travelled to Buckingham Palace to formally tender his resignation to King Charles III, in line with British constitutional tradition.
In his farewell remarks outside Downing Street, Starmer defended his record, saying his government had transformed Labour’s electoral fortunes and delivered significant progress since winning a landslide general election.
He said Britain now had a stronger economy, shorter NHS waiting times and lower immigration levels than when his government took office.
Starmer wished Burnham success in office and pledged his full support during the transition.
