Andy Burnham Confirmed as UK Prime Minister

Andy Burnham was confirmed as leader of the Labour Party and will become Britain's seventh prime minister in a decade when he enters Downing Street on Monday, succeeding Sir Keir Starmer after his resignation to King Charles III. In his first speech as leader, Burnham condemned Margaret Thatcher's legacy and promised a "distinctively Labour" government, pledging public ownership of utilities, reindustrialisation, support for small businesses, and a shift of power toward local governments.

The incoming prime minister is reportedly considering radical plans to cut household energy bills by up to £130 a year and has affirmed his commitment to the pensions triple lock, while facing immediate pressure from charities including Oxfam and Greenpeace to block new North Sea oil drilling licences.

Burnham is expected to bring Jonathan Reynolds back as business secretary and has promised to make a "dynamic" start to his premiership, with his cabinet appointments set to define whether he can defeat Reform UK at the next election.