On July 20, 2026, Andy Burnham assumed the office of British prime minister following the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer. Burnham is the seventh individual to hold the position since the 2016 Brexit referendum. During his first 48 hours in office, he held discussions with European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, to express his commitment to strengthening ties between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

While Burnham has previously expressed a personal desire for the UK to eventually rejoin the EU, he has clarified that he does not intend to reopen the divisive Brexit debate. His current focus remains on domestic priorities, though he has requested that officials begin preparations for a UK-EU summit later this year to advance cooperative relations. European leaders have welcomed his arrival, expressing hope for deeper diplomatic and economic cooperation without aiming for a total reversal of the UK's withdrawal from the bloc.