Andy Burnham to become UK prime minister after Keir Starmer resigns
Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has been selected as the United Kingdom's next prime minister following Labour leader Keir Starmer's resignation, becoming the country's seventh premier in ten years.
Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, will succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister after Labour lawmakers backed his leadership bid. Burnham secured a seat in the House of Commons by winning a by-election in Makerfield last month, a move that allowed him to stand for the party's top job.
Burnham becomes the first Catholic to hold the premiership, a milestone given the historical restrictions on Catholics in senior political roles. He has said his political outlook is shaped by Catholic social teaching, emphasizing solidarity with the disadvantaged and decision-making at the local level.
The transition follows Starmer's resignation after less than two years in office. Starmer, who led Labour to a sizable parliamentary majority in 2024, faced declining public support amid economic pressures, policy disputes and questions about his political narrative.
Economically, the UK has seen modest wage growth—average weekly pay rose less than 1% to £494 after inflation adjustments—while taxes remain near multi-decade highs. Analysts have linked the rapid turnover of prime ministers to persistent economic challenges and voter dissatisfaction.
Burnham, who served as a health minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and ran for Labour leadership in 2010 and 2015, stepped away from Westminster to become mayor in 2017. His tenure as mayor is credited with raising his national profile and positioning him as a potential stabilising figure for the party.
"My politics are underpinned by Catholic social teaching," Burnham said, adding that his faith, the Labour Party and Everton Football Club have been the three main influences in his life.
Burnham's appointment marks the latest change in a decade that has seen six different prime ministers, reflecting ongoing political volatility in the United Kingdom.