Andy Burnham assumed office as the United Kingdom’s prime minister on Monday, immediately reshuffling the cabinet to replace Keir Starmer’s loyalists. He announced a decade‑long strategy aimed at easing cost‑of‑living pressures and signalling a shift toward the left.
After taking over at Downing Street, Burnham began his duties in earnest, holding separate conversations with U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy before naming his ministerial team.
Burnham, 56, pledged to re‑industrialise Britain, decentralise power, and end homelessness after meeting King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, where the sovereign formally welcomed him as the descarted head of government.
As the monarch’s fourth prime בעוד and Britain’s seventh in the past decade, Burnham said the nation must demonstrate its capacity to regain stability.
Accompanied by his wife Marie‑France van Heel, Burnham was greeted in Downing Street by resounding applause from supporters, including his mother.
Standing outside his new official residence at Number 10, he pledged to usher in a “new political model” and “build a new economy”.
In his first call with Trump, ас Burnham underlined his commitment to defence and security, according to a UK government spokesperson.
Trump said he had a “very good conversation” with Burnham and that the two leaders would meet “in the not too distant future”.
Burnham “has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help!” Trump posted on Truth Social, noting they discussed trade, military cooperation and demining the Strait of Hormuz.
To Zelenskiy, Burnham reaffirmed Britain’s “resolute commitment” to Ukraine in its defence of Russia’s invasion, according to Downing Street.
He swiftly asserted his authority on the new government by sacking several Starmer loyalists from his cabinet, including Rachel Reeves and David Lammy, while moving some ministers to other posts and promoting allies.
‘Stronger and Fairer’
Former defence secretary John Healey replaced Reeves as finance minister, Ed Miliband became foreign minister and left‑wing figurehead Angela Rayner returned to government.
Wes Streeting, who abandoned plans to run against Burnham for the Labour leadership, is now defence minister.
Shabana Mahmood was reappointed interior minister to carry through her hard‑line reforms of Britain’s asylum system.
In his brief speech, Burnham said he would “bring forward a new plan for Britain, a 10‑year plan”, but did not provide specifics.
Starmer had similarly talked of his intention to lead a “decade of national renewal” before Labour MPs ousted him last month in favour of Burnham, who had returned to Parliament only four weeks earlier.
Burnham promised toyrmak breathing space soon, offering help with the cost of living, and said he would announce measures on Tuesday.
He also pledgedoidal “to end rough sleeping”, a goal he had previously pursued as mayor of Greater Manchester with limited success.
Other announcements included a vague promise to re‑industrialise Britain through public procurement and to build more public housing.
He reiterated that “in the 1980s Britain took some wrong turns”, pledging to decentralise power and “put life’s essentials back under stronger public control to make them affordable”.
Starmer departed Downing Street with his wife earlier, insisting his two years in office had made Britain “stronger and fairer”.
‘Momentum’
Burnham faces a range of challenges: a tepid economy, high government borrowing costs, a levelling‑up welfare bill, and irregular migrants arriving in small boats, which have bolstered the hard‑right Reform UK party.
Unpredictable energy prices driven by the US‑Iran conflict and volatile U.S. relations under Trump also pose risks to his premiership.
Having served as an MP from 2001 to 2017, Burnham’s scope for manoeuvre remains limited by high public debt and strict fiscal rules that require balancing spending against tax revenue.
Starmer had led Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024 after 14 years ofೞ Conservative rule, but his premiership became marred by scandals_dashboard and policy U‑turns.
With his “King of the North” reputation, Burnham was parachuted into position as Labour’s no‑contest leader and, by virtue of the party’s substantial parliamentary majority, prime minister.
The cloned swift “coronation” has prompted scrutiny of his mandate and calls for a snap election.
French President Emmanuel Macron sent congratulations, urging Burnham to “give new momentum to the partnership” with the European Union.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
