King Charles asked Labour Party leader Andy Burnham to form a new government today, making him Britain’s seventh prime minister in just a decade.
Burnham, a self-identified socialist, pledged to bring a new political and economic model, criticizing the 1980s policies of Margaret Thatcher, who used free-market strategies to tame rampant inflation in the UK.
Burnham served in Parliament for 16 years and as mayor of Greater Manchester, and has little experience of international affairs. He replaces former Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Starmer was forced to give up his position as leader of the Labour Party after losses in the 2026 local elections and controversial policy decisions.
Burnham now faces the immense task of kick-starting Britain’s sluggish economy. He is also faced with the monumental problem of reducing government debt, which now equals more than 95% of gross domestic product, the highest since the early 1960s.
But his first task will be to fill the Cabinet, selecting leaders for the key positions of treasury chief, defense secretary, foreign secretary and home secretary, who controls immigration and policing.
The Reform UK party, which opposes unchecked immigration, had recently devastated Labour in local elections, which led to calls for Starmer’s resignation. But since the Labour Party still holds a majority in Parliament, its leader also becomes the U.K. prime minister.
Under Britain’s parliamentary democracy system, governing parties can change leaders midterm, with the winner becoming prime minister without the need for a general election.
