Andy Burnham becomes the 59th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

On July 20, 2026, Andy Burnham was officially appointed as the 59th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by King Charles III, succeeding Keir Starmer. Following the transition, senior ministers including Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy, Business Secretary Peter Kyle, and Chancellor Rachel Reeves resigned from their posts. Burnham is the seventh British prime minister in a decade and has pledged to restore national stability through a ten-year reconstruction plan. His policy priorities include addressing the high cost of living, improving public services, and decentralizing government power away from London. Regarding the economy, Burnham committed to following existing fiscal rules, dismissing concerns about excessive borrowing while emphasizing a prudent approach. He also confirmed that his first foreign policy calls would be to U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, assuring continued support for Ukraine. The new Prime Minister plans to announce specific measures to ease the cost of living crisis on July 21, 2026.