Andy Burnham, The Former Mayor Of Greater Manchester, Will Become The UK’s New Prime Minister

Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester and one of the UK’s best known regional politicians, will become the UK's new prime minister after being elected leader of the governing Labour Party following Keir Starmer's resignation.

In the UK, people vote for a member of parliament rather than directly electing the prime minister.

This means the governing party can replace its leader without holding a general election if it still holds a majority in parliament.

56-year-old Burnham spent almost a decade as mayor of Greater Manchester, where he became one of Britain's best-known regional politicians.

Nicknamed the "King of the North", he built a national profile by repeatedly challenging governments in London over transport, regional inequality and investment outside the capital, according to Reuters.

Burnham was elected unopposed by Labour party members as leader on Friday, July 17, taking over from Starmer, who had led Labour to a landslide election win in July 2024, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.

Starmer announced in June he would resign after months of pressure from Labour lawmakers amid political setbacks and declining public support.

Burnham has promised to shift more power away from London and into towns, cities and regions across the UK while focusing on affordable housing, public services, workers' rights and economic growth.

He has also pledged closer ties with the European Union while maintaining support for Ukraine.

Speaking after his election, Burnham said he wanted to offer voters a clear alternative to Britain's growing far-right movement.

Burnham will formally become prime minister on Monday, July 20. Burnham becomes the UK's seventh prime minister in a decade.

His biggest challenge will be rebuilding Labour's popularity while countering the rise of Nigel Farage's far-right Reform UK party before the next general election, which must be held by 2029.

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