The moment for Andy Burnham has finally come.
After weeks as leader-in-waiting, Mr Burnham officially became prime minister on Monday during a meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.
He succeeded Keir Starmer, on a day when Britain’s political turbulence gave way, at least temporarily, to smooth choreography.
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Buckingham Palace has released a photo of the two men shaking hands. The ceremony known as “kissing hands” marks the transfer of power.
The Palace said in 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.”
Mr Burnham is the seventh UK prime minister since 2016 in a now well-rehearsed handover after replacing Sir Keir as leader of the centre-left governing Labour Party on Friday.
It followed Sir Keir’s meeting with the King to tender his resignation as UK Prime Minister following a farewell speech at 10 Downing St.
The speech marks Sir Keir’s final address as UK Prime Minister with Andy Burnham to become the country’s seventh PM in 10 years.
Sir Keir opened his speech by boldly declaring “My work is done”.
“In six and a half years I took my party from a historic defeat … to win a landslide election in 2024,” he told a positive crowd outside England’s Prime Ministerial offices.
“Since then it has been the privilege of my life to serve the country and you as Prime Minister.”
Sir Keir then went on to largely repeat his previous speech from June where he declared his intention to step down for Mr Burnham. During that address, he highlighted the perceived achievements of his time at No.10, such as cuts to National Health Service waiting lists and securing further defence spending.
Those landmarks were repeated again this morning.
However, he has also appeared to take a shot at the rising spectre of Reform UK and Nigel Farage, with a shot at what he describes as “division” in the country.
“There is something that we inherit from our country and our character to give us confidence,” he says, adding that if Britons can resist this tide of division the nation can rise to its previous heights.
He then went on to pay tribute to Mr Burnham, pledging his “full support” for his looming replacement.
“As I pass the baton to Andy Burnham I wish him every success,” Sir Keir says.
He then went on to thank his wife and everyone at no.10, signing off by declaring he would leave Downing Street with “good grace” and a “smile”.
He then left for for Buckingham Palace with his wife Victoria where he met with King Charles to resign as Prime Minister, paving the way for Mr Burnham.
The King accepted Sir Keir’s resignation with a brief bit of time to allow both men to reflect on his work as Prime Minister.
Mr Burnham, a former mayor of Greater Manchester, then met the monarch to become prime minister. It is fifth UK Prime Minister the King has had to appoint in his four years as monarch.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 20: Sir Clive Alderton (left), Principal Private Secretary to the King greets Labour Party leader Andy Burnham as he arrives at Buckingham Palace, on July 20, 2026 in London, England. The Member of Parliament for Makerfield becomes the UK’s 59th Prime Minister, succeeding Sir Keir Starmer, who resigned as leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister in June. (Photo by Aaron Chown – Pool/Getty Images) Credit: Pool/Getty Images
Mr Burnham then went to the palace in his turn asking him to form a government. That’s when he officially became prime minister, a moment known as “kissing hands.”
The King’s role harkens back to a time when the monarch exercised supreme power and chose a prime minister to run the government. Today, the King has no political power, but the monarch still officially offers the job to the leader of the party that can command a majority in the House of Commons. No hand-kissing is involved.
Britain’s parliamentary democracy allows governing parties to change leaders, and thus prime ministers, without the need for a general election. The next national poll doesn’t have to be held until 2029, though Mr Burnham can call one sooner if he wants.
From the palace, Mr Burnham is now travelling to Downing Street, where he will make his first speech as prime minister.
A spokesperson said Mr Burnham will say that he’s “acutely aware” of how many changes of leader the country has been through in the past decade, and will pledge to restore stability.
Sir Keir said much the same when he took office two years ago. Last month he announced he would resign after missteps and judgement errors that eroded his standing with his party and the public.
MJr Burnham was the only candidate in a contest to become the party’s new leader, securing nominations from 379 of the 403 Labour lawmakers in the House of Commons.
The new leader pledges a new style of politics
The former mayor of Greater Manchester has pledged to make politics “less toxic,” improve living standards across the country and “bring back the hope we have all been missing.”
“I will work to build a new politics,” he said after becoming Labour leader on Friday. “The country is crying out for it.”
Critics and supporters alike will soon be clamouring for details of how Mr Burnham plans to fulfill his pledges.
“Fundamentally, it only will work if you can generate significant economic growth, because it’s the lack of growth that’s really holding the country back,” said Joshi Herrmann, who has followed Mr Burnham’s career as founder of Manchester news site The Mill.
Attention will quickly turn to who Mr Burnham will appoint to his Cabinet. He’s expected to make changes to Sir Keir’s top team, especially to the biggest jobs of Treasury chief, foreign secretary and home secretary.
In his first speech as Labour leader, Mr Burnham praised Sir Keir’s achievements, saying he would “build on the foundation laid” by his predecessor.
Sir Keir became Labour leader in 2020 after one of the party’s worst election defeats, and led it to a landslide victory four years later. But he was soon defeated by the challenges of governing.
At his final Prime Minister’s Questions session in Parliament on Wednesday, Sir Keir defended his government’s record on the international stage — especially its support for Ukraine — and its domestic policy achievements. He mentioned stronger protections for working people, a reduction in child poverty, a law designed to stop official cover-ups after tragedies, and higher defence spending.
“In six and a half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country and won a landslide general election victory in 2024,” Sir Keir said in his final remarks before leaving Downing St, hand-in-hand with his wife Victoria.
“Since then, it has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as prime minister. I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.”
