Britain’s King Charles III formally appointed Andy Burnham as the country’s new prime minister on Monday after Keir Starmer officially submitted his resignation, Buckingham Palace announced.
In a statement, the palace said Burnham accepted the monarch’s invitation to form a new government, completing the traditional appointment ceremony.
Burnham becomes the sixth person to serve as Britain’s prime minister in the past decade, assuming office at a time of mounting economic and political challenges.
A crowd of supporters gathered outside Downing Street greeted the new premier with applause as he delivered his first address to the nation.
In his speech, Burnham pledged to unveil measures later this week aimed at easing the cost-of-living crisis, followed by a broader 10-year national strategy later this year.
“Britain needs to show the world that we can restore our stability,” Burnham said, acknowledging that the country must improve its performance and rebuild public confidence.
He promised to provide families with “some breathing space” by introducing policies to reduce living costs while outlining how the government intends to finance those initiatives.
Looking ahead, Burnham said his government would focus on helping more young people secure employment by reforming the education system, expanding mental health support, and increasing the construction of council housing.
He argued that these measures would sustainably reduce welfare spending, keep public finances within the government’s fiscal rules, and maintain Britain’s defence commitments to its international allies.
Burnham succeeds Keir Starmer, whose popularity declined despite leading the Labour Party to a decisive election victory just two years ago, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.
The newly appointed prime minister also said his first conversations with foreign leaders would include US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reaffirming that Britain’s support for Ukraine would remain steadfast under his government.
