Andy Burnham has been elected leader of the governing Labour Party and is set to become the United Kingdom’s next prime minister.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced Burnham’s victory on Friday, confirming that he will replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader and formally assume office as prime minister on Monday.
In his first speech as Labour leader, Burnham declared that he was prepared for the task ahead and promised to restore public trust and optimism in British politics.
“I am ready,” he said.
Burnham said the UK required a new political direction, arguing that his generation of leaders had failed to address a political culture and economic system that no longer served ordinary citizens.
He said his administration would focus on building “a new politics” capable of delivering meaningful reforms.
“People are looking for us to deliver and we will,” he said.
Burnham also praised Starmer for rebuilding the Labour Party after one of its worst election defeats and returning it to government.
He said Starmer had positioned Labour to improve the lives of Britons and thanked him for his service to both the country and the party.
Starmer stepped down as prime minister and Labour leader on June 22 after months of mounting political pressure.
Explaining his decision at the time, he said he had “heard the answer” from his party on whether he remained the right person to lead Labour into the next general election and accepted the outcome “with good grace”.
Burnham’s swearing-in on Monday will make him Britain’s seventh prime minister in the past decade, continuing a period of frequent leadership changes in UK politics.