Andy Burnham becomes United Kingdom's prime minister

Andy Burnham took office as the United Kingdom's prime minister on Monday, replacing Labour leader Keir Starmer. The 56-year-old former mayor of Greater Manchester, who rose to national prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, is known for emphasizing his northern, blue-collar roots and advocating for greater devolution of powers to cities.

Born near Liverpool to a telephone engineer and a receptionist, Burnham studied English literature at the University of Cambridge before entering Parliament at age 31. He later served as secretary of state for culture, media and sport under Gordon Brown and gained attention for his response to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, where he helped launch an inquiry that identified police failures.

As mayor, Burnham oversaw extensive regeneration projects in Manchester and pushed for the city to gain more control over education and housing. He describes his approach as "Manchesterism," a model that seeks to shift economic power from London to regional centers and promises new public housing, tax cuts for retailers and a rebalanced welfare system.

During the pandemic, Burnham publicly criticised the central government's lockdown policies, arguing they disproportionately harmed low-paid workers. His outburst was widely shared and boosted his national profile.

Analysts note that Burnham will inherit challenges similar to those faced by his predecessor, including sluggish growth, high energy costs and defence spending pressures amid the war in Ukraine. He has pledged to prioritize working-class interests and to open a Downing Street branch in the north, signaling a shift toward regional empowerment.