Andy Burnham officially became the UK's new Prime Minister

Andy Burnham officially became the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister on Monday, after a meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace in London. He succeeded Keir Starmer as the seventh UK prime minister since 2016 and as leader of the Labour Party.

The announcement came as Buckingham Palace released a photo of the two men shaking hands, a ceremony known as “kissing hands”, marking the transfer of power.

The palace further made a statement that the King “received in audience the Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP and



requested him to form a new Administration. The Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP accepted The King’s offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.”

Following Burnham’s appointment, Keir Starmer, the former Prime Minister, made a short farewell speech outside the Prime Minister’s 10 Downing Street residence, saying “my work is done.”

The outgoing leader, forced to resign by his own party, said Britain is now “stronger and fairer than it was two years ago” when he took office.