Andy Burnham is 7th UK Prime Minister

By Saheed Olatunji, Reporter

Andy Burnham has become the United Kingdom’s seventh Prime Minister in a decade after arriving at Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles III and be formally invited to form a government.

The development follows his emergence as leader of the Labour Party, a position he assumed unopposed after Keir Starmer stepped down earlier amid declining poll ratings, disappointing local election results and a controversy linked to former U.S. ambassador Peter Mandelson.

Starmer delivered his final speech on the morning of his resignation, paving the way for Burnham, 56, to take over the party leadership on Friday before officially becoming Prime Minister after his audience with the King.

Following the formalities at Buckingham Palace, Burnham is expected to address the nation outside 10 Downing Street. A familiar figure in British politics for over two decades, he previously served as Culture Secretary and Health Secretary, and twice contested the Labour leadership before his recent rise.

Burnham’s tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester significantly boosted his national profile, with several of his regional policies earning public support and shaping his broader political appeal.

As he assumes office, he faces immediate pressure to form a cabinet and tackle mounting national challenges.

His appointment highlights a period of political instability in the UK, which has now seen seven prime ministers in 10 years, including recent leaders Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, most of whom left office without a general election defeat.