Andy Burnham has formally become the UK prime minister after meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace, stepping into the role as the fourth person to hold the office in under four years and the sixth within a decade.

The Labour leader appointed on Friday took the oath of office shortly after Keir Starmer went to the palace to resign to the monarch. Burnham’s elevation followed Starmer’s departure from No 10, bringing an end to his premiership and setting up a new start for the government.

From party leader to prime minister

Burnham, formerly the mayor of Greater Manchester, was sworn in after taking over as leader of the Labour Party from Starmer. It was his first prime ministerial appointment after the leadership change, and it came as Labour moves to consolidate its new leadership following an extended period of political strain within the party.

Starmer’s resignation to the King marked the immediate trigger for Burnham’s appointment. As soon as that process was completed, Burnham accepted the role of prime minister, ending the brief interim period between leadership transition and government formation.

Heading to Downing Street

Burnham is now set to travel to Downing Street, where he will address reporters before unveiling the composition of his cabinet.

The former mayor returned to parliament only a month ago. He entered the House of Commons via a byelection organised by supporters in his party, with the stated objective of replacing Starmer as prime minister.

Path shaped by internal politics

Burnham’s rise comes after Labour MPs and ministers moved away from Starmer, following a series of political difficulties described as mishaps and U-turns. According to the account of events leading to the change, Starmer lost the support of many Labour MPs and a number of his ministers, prompting the leadership and government reshuffle that followed.

With no other figure in the party stepping forward to contest the leadership, Burnham was made leader without a competitive process. That meant he also became prime minister without an election or a wider contest, with scrutiny described as limited.

The article also notes that a similar lack of contest occurred for Rishi Sunak in 2022. In that case, however, Sunak had previously fought a leadership contest against Liz Truss just weeks earlier and had more recent experience of cabinet roles.

Parliamentary experience, then Greater Manchester

Burnham has served as both an MP and a cabinet minister before. He left parliament in 2017 to take up the role of Greater Manchester mayor, a period that preceded his eventual return to the Commons for the byelection that brought him back into national office.

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20 July 2026

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Burnham Promises Cost Of Living Help In First Speech

Andy Burnham, newly appointed UK prime minister, said he will set out a 10-year plan for the country later this year as he delivered his first address in the role.

Speaking at the start of his premiership, Burnham told the public: “This moment will be a circuit breaker for Britain.” He added that measures aimed at helping with the cost of living would be outlined from the following day, as he said the government needed to “be better”.

Cost of living support from tomorrow

Burnham said further details of the cost of living package will be provided from tomorrow, positioning the announcements as part of a wider programme to respond to pressures facing households.

He also indicated that his long-term approach would be set out later this year through a 10-year plan.

Housing and rough sleeping

In the speech, Burnham pledged to tackle rough sleeping and said he would pursue the building of more council homes.

He set out his intention to continue honouring defence commitments, signalling that existing obligations would remain in place.

New government after Starmer’s resignation

Burnham took office after being invited by the King at Buckingham Palace to form a government, becoming the fifth prime minister in four years. He is expected to begin reshaping the ministerial team later today, with changes to roles including the prisons portfolio.

This follows the resignation of prisons minister Lord Timpson, who stepped down this morning.

Team Burnham has kept decisions on who will make up the prime minister’s top team “very tight”, according to reporting by Nick Eardley.

Before Burnham’s speech, Keir Starmer formally resigned as prime minister. In his final address outside Downing Street, Starmer said he leaves the role “with good grace” and “a smile”.

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20 July 2026

Britain changes it's PM's more often than there underwear.

So it's the same dead horse only with a different jockey?