Andy Burnham became Britain's seventh Prime Minister in 10 years on Monday, July 20, 2026, and moved swiftly to settle into the top job. His first day began with an official audience with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace before delivering his first address as PM outside No 10 Downing Street.
Cabinet Appointments
Mr Burnham then moved quickly to appoint his new Cabinet. The Makerfield MP, who returned to Parliament in June after a tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester, was officially elected Leader of the Labour Party on Friday. The formal handover came after Sir Keir Starmer tendered his resignation, with the King inviting Mr Burnham to form a government.
“I now pass the baton to Andy Burnham. I wish him every success. He has my full support,” Sir Keir Starmer said in his resignation address.
First Speech and Promises
In his first speech outside Downing Street, Mr Burnham promised to provide early “breathing space” for households struggling with the cost of living, vowed to end rough sleeping and set out his ambition to “reindustrialise Britain”. The new PM said he would deliver “a new political model and a new economic model” for Britain. It was, he said, a time for “reflection and new resolution”, adding that: “Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again”.
He continued: “I know people at home are fed up with politics. I hear you and I want to be honest with you – we have not been good enough, and we need to be better. We will be. We will make this moment a circuit breaker for Britain, bringing forward the biggest changes in the last 40 years – a new political model and a new economic model.”
Key Cabinet Roles
Sir John Healey became Mr Burnham’s major appointment, taking over as Chancellor of the Exchequer. In a statement posted on X, he said: “It is the greatest privilege to be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer by the Prime Minister. Together, we will build a new economy, build new hope and advance the working people of this country. Time to get on with the job.”
The reshaped Cabinet saw former Labour leader Ed Miliband appointed Foreign Secretary, while Yvette Cooper moved to the health brief. Bridget Phillipson lost her job as education secretary but was reappointed as Minister for Women and Equalities, and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner was named Housing Secretary.
Louise Haigh, a key ally of Mr Burnham who was instrumental in getting him into No 10, has been made First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, giving her a role as a fixer across government. Former health secretary Wes Streeting, who resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s government, had been seen as a potential leadership candidate until he backed Mr Burnham. He was announced as the new Defence Secretary on Monday evening.
Retained Positions and International Calls
Several senior figures retained their positions, including Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Meanwhile, Labour veteran Pat McFadden will retain his job as the Work and Pensions Secretary.
Within an hour of his arrival at No 10, Mr Burnham spoke with US President Donald Trump, who later wished him “good luck” in a post on Truth Social. The US leader added that the new PM “has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it” and pledged that the US “will be there to help”.
Mr Burnham also held calls with several other high-profile world leaders on Monday, including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte. EU President Antonio Costa congratulated Mr Burnham on his new role in a post on X. “In the last two years EU-UK relations gained a new, positive momentum,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to further deepen our cooperation for the benefit of our citizens and businesses. The United Kingdom and the European Union are stronger together.”
