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 ministerBurnham, 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 StreetBurnham 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 politicsBurnham’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 ManchesterBurnham 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. Join the discussion? 20 July 2026
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