Andy Burnham, the ‘King of the North’, become new UK PM; 7th premier in a decade

Andy Burnham officially became the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister on Monday, after a meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace in London. He succeeded Keir Starmer as the seventh UK prime minister since 2016 and as leader of the Labour Party.

The announcement came as Buckingham Palace released a photo of the two men shaking hands, a ceremony known as “kissing hands”, marking the transfer of power.

The palace further made a statement that the King “received in audience the Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP and requested him to form a new Administration. The Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP accepted The King’s offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.”

Following Burnham’s appointment, Keir Starmer, the former Prime Minister, made a short farewell speech outside the Prime Minister’s 10 Downing Street residence, saying “my work is done.”

The outgoing leader, forced to resign by his own party, said Britain is now “stronger and fairer than it was two years ago” when he took office.

Who is Andy Burnham?

Burnham is a veteran Labour politician and the former Mayor of Greater Manchester, a role he held after serving as a Member of Parliament and cabinet minister under previous Labour governments.

The 56-year-old leader, also often called the “King of the North” for his outspoken support of regional empowerment, has pledged to restore stability, rebuild public trust in government, and reshape the country’s political structure by moving power away from Westminster.

Widely regarded as one of Labour’s strongest communicators, he built a reputation for championing regional development, public services and devolution, often positioning himself as a prominent voice for northern England.

After returning to Parliament through a by-election last month, he pledged to build a politics “based on unity and hope” and create an economy that delivers growth more evenly across the country.

What is his plan to ‘rewire’ Britain?

At the heart of Burnham’s agenda is a bold push to shift power away from London and hand more control to local governments across the country. He has promised to “rewire” Britain by devolving greater authority to regions and cities, arguing that decisions shaping local communities shouldn’t sit entirely in Westminster’s hands.

One of his biggest ideas is setting up a second Prime Minister’s office in Manchester, which he’s calling “No 10 North,” aimed at bringing government physically closer to people outside the capital. Burnham said these reforms are meant to make governance more responsive while chipping away at regional inequalities that have built up over decades.

Britain’s troubles ahead

Burnham steps into office at a difficult moment for Britain, with sluggish growth and mounting concerns over public finances weighing on the country. To reassure businesses and investors, he’s promised that his reform agenda will stay within strict fiscal rules and be backed by responsible spending. He has also pledged to bring a sense of stability at a time when economic uncertainty continues to loom large.

Burnham pledges a new style of politics

The former Mayor of Greater Manchester has promised to make politics “less toxic,” improve living standards nationwide, and “bring back the hope we have all been missing.” “I will work to build a new politics,” he said after becoming Labour leader on Friday. “The country is crying out for it.”

Supporters and critics alike will now be looking for specifics on how Burnham plans to deliver on those promises. “Fundamentally, it only will work if you can generate significant economic growth, because it’s the lack of growth that’s really holding the country back,” said Joshi Herrmann, founder of Manchester news site The Mill, who has closely followed Burnham’s career.

Attention will now shift to Burnham’s Cabinet picks, with changes expected to Starmer’s top team, particularly the major posts of Treasury chief, foreign secretary, and home secretary.

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