Andy Burnham to become the UK’s 59th prime minister on Monday following the resignation of Keir Starmer.
Andy Burnham will officially become the United Kingdom's prime minister on Monday after Keir Starmer formally offers his resignation to King Charles III. Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, will be the first Catholic to hold the position, a milestone in British political history. The administration announced that Burnham will begin making cabinet appointments on Monday afternoon. While several roles are still being finalized, Shabana Mahmood is tipped to become chancellor and Ed Miliband is expected to serve as foreign secretary. Burnham plans to focus on providing "more breathing room" for citizens regarding the cost of living while maintaining the Labour Party's commitment to not raising major taxes. The new prime minister intends to balance pragmatic economic measures, such as increasing North Sea oil and gas drilling, with public ownership of utilities. While some critics, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, have described his early plans as "airy-fairy," Burnham aims to provide political stability and tangible improvements to national infrastructure.