Andy Burnham sworn in as new U.K. prime minister, replacing Keir Starmer

Andy Burnham officially became the United Kingdom's seventh prime minister in a decade on Monday, taking over from Keir Starmer. Burnham, who previously served as the mayor of Greater Manchester and recently became the leader of the Labour Party, was sworn in as a member of Parliament on July 12 after winning a special election in June.

Starmer's resignation, after a two-year tenure, was formalized when he met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. The King then invited Burnham to form a government, a process known as "kissing hands."

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In his first speech as prime minister, delivered outside 10 Downing Street without a traditional lectern, Burnham pledged to enact a "circuit breaker" for what he described as a system that has strayed since the 1980s. His approach signals a potential shift in policy and direction for the country.

Burnham's path to premiership involved a significant political gamble. He first secured a parliamentary seat through a special election in Makerfield, a constituency where the anti-immigration Reform U.K. party had recently performed strongly in local elections. Burnham's victory in that election on June 19 paved the way for his leadership bid within the Labour Party, where he faced no opposition after Starmer's departure.

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kissing hands