Andy Burnham has officially become the United Kingdom’s new prime minister, promising to “bring back hope” and rebuild communities as he unveiled his new Cabinet and outlined an ambitious domestic agenda.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street after succeeding Keir Starmer, Burnham acknowledged growing public frustration with politics and pledged to deliver meaningful change.
“I know people are fed up with politics. We have not been good enough, and we need to be better. We will be,” he said.
Burnham said his government would announce a fully funded cost-of-living support package on Tuesday, including measures aimed at reducing energy bills and bus fares.
He also signalled a willingness to use existing fiscal rules more flexibly to increase investment in infrastructure, while insisting his government would maintain a prudent approach to the economy.
In a surprise move, Burnham appointed former Defence Secretary John Healey as Chancellor, describing him as the right person to oversee the government’s economic plans focused on growth, fiscal responsibility and reindustrialisation.
Other key Cabinet appointments include Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary, Shabana Mahmood remaining at the Home Office, Louise Haigh as First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Yvette Cooper as Health Secretary, and Angela Rayner returning as Housing Secretary.
Burnham said his administration would pursue what he described as the biggest political and economic reforms in four decades, aiming to decentralise power and revive regions that have struggled since Britain’s deindustrialisation during the 1980s.
“In the 1980s, Britain took some wrong turns. Large parts of the country were left behind, and many communities have still not recovered,” he said.
He pledged to shift decision-making away from Westminster and give local communities greater control over their own development.
Burnham also announced that one of his first priorities would be tackling rough sleeping, while indicating future tax changes could benefit lower-income earners.
On the international front, Burnham held his first call with US President Donald Trump, inviting him to attend next year’s G20 summit in Manchester. He also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Burnham became Britain’s sixth prime minister in a decade after Labour MPs removed Starmer from office, marking another major leadership change during a prolonged period of political instability.
Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was leaving office “with good grace” and expressed pride in his government’s achievements.
