This is still in the breaking news stage, with all of the major outlets (BBC, Reuters, AP that I’ve checked thus far) in live blog mode. Burnham is largely unknown across the UK, much less globally, having not even been a Member of Parliament a month ago. But he was elected Labour leader and sworn in by King Charles about an hour ago.
AP:
Andy Burnham has formally accepted an invitation from King Charles III to form a government.
Buckingham Palace has released a photo of the two men shaking hands. The ceremony known as “kissing hands” marks the transfer of power from former leader Keir Starmer to Burnham.
Burnham replaced Starmer as leader of the center-left governing Labour Party last week.
BBC:
Andy Burnham delivered his first speech as prime minister a short while ago.
Speaking into a microphone – without the usual lectern – outside No 10, he said:
- He is “acutely conscious” he is the seventh PM since 2016, calling this a moment for “reflection and new resolution”
- He stressed the importance of Britain regaining stability
- He also said politicians have “not been good enough” but pledged to be better – promising the biggest changes in the last 40 years
- Power will be taken out of Downing Street and into “every postcode in the land”, he pledged
- He will set out measures from tomorrow to help give people “some breathing space” with the cost of living, he said
- And he said “I will soon go through that door behind me and issue my first instruction to end rough sleeping in our country“
- “I will give this my all,” he concluded
It’s going to be interesting.
