Andy Burnham has officially become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after meeting King Charles III at Buckingham Palace and being invited to form a government.
The 56-year-old Labour leader succeeds Keir Starmer, who resigned following declining poll numbers, disappointing local election results and controversy surrounding former United States ambassador Peter Mandelson.
Burnham assumed the Labour Party leadership unopposed before formally taking office as Prime Minister on Monday. His appointment makes him the United Kingdom's seventh prime minister in the past decade, reflecting a period of significant political change in the country.
King Charles III received Burnham at Buckingham Palace as part of the constitutional process that confirms a new prime minister. Burnham is expected to deliver his first address to the nation outside 10 Downing Street later in the day.
A prominent figure in British politics for more than two decades, Burnham has previously served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Secretary of State for Health. He also made two unsuccessful bids for the Labour leadership before emerging as the party's new leader.
Burnham's tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester raised his national profile, with several of his policies attracting public support and strengthening his standing within the Labour Party.
His immediate priorities include forming a new cabinet and responding to key economic and political challenges facing the United Kingdom.
Burnham's appointment continues a decade marked by frequent changes in leadership at Westminster. The UK has had seven prime ministers in 10 years, including Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, several of whom left office without losing a general election.
