Britain is set to have a new political model and a new economic model, Andy Burnham has said in his speech on Monday, as he officially became the UK’s Prime Minister.

Burnham, who was appointed Labour Party leader on Friday, will replace Sir Keir Starmer for Britain’s premiership.

“I’m acutely conscious that I am the sixth person in the last 10 years to walk up this street, the seventh prime minister since 2016, making this a moment for reflection and new resolution. It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge. Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again and that is our challenge. To make politics work, to make it work better,” he said in front of Number 10, with Ode to Joy playing in the background, likely from a pro-EU supporter.

“We will make this moment a circuit-breaker for Britain, bringing forward the biggest changes in the last 40 years. A new political model and a new economic model. In the 1980s, Britain took some wrong turns, political power was centralized, economic power privatized, large parts of the country deindustrialized, and they still haven’t recovered. Many feel as though they are still in decline and they don’t have the ability to turn things around and that’s why we will change politics. To make it more collaborative,” the new UK prime minister added at Downing Street.

Watch my first speech as Prime Minister 👇🏻https://t.co/dIVOCfWo9G

— Andy Burnham (@andyburnham) July 20, 2026

Burnham became an MP in 2001 and held cabinet roles under Gordon Brown’s government before quitting as an MP in 2017. He has been mayor of Greater Manchester and is known for being a voice for northern England, which has seen wealth and development imbalances compared to the south.

Unlike Starmer, who was an elected prime minister following the 2024 general election, Burnham was not. He could have called for a general election but decided against it and will now have to regain public trust ahead of the 2029 polls.

According to YouGov research, the latest voting intention in a general election sees right wing party Reform UK leading polls with 24 percent, with the Conservatives and Labour both at 19 percent. Three of the biggest priorities for UK voters are the economy, defense, and Britain’s relationship with the EU. As of the end of June, polling shows that voters think the Conservatives would be best at handling defense and security, with Reform UK enjoying similar trust to Labour.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he suspects Burnham is “extremely liberal,” while Russia said its relations with Britain are unlikely to improve.

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that he hopes for “as much stability as possible in the UK.” The UK’s political stability is a key concern also for Ukraine, who is relying on Britain’s support in the war against Russia.

Burnham Set for Prime Minister as UK Enters New Era