Veteran Labour Party politician and popular former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is set to become Britain’s next prime minister on Monday, formally taking over from Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation last month.
News from the Right
Andy Burnham is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and
Leader of the Labour Party, having assumed office on
20 July 2026 after succeeding Keir Starmer. He previously served as the
Mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 to 2026, where he was known for bringing the bus network under public control and advocating for regional investment outside of London.
Burnham is a
British politician born on
7 January 1970 who identifies as a
socialist associated with the Labour Party's "
soft left" faction. His political ideology is often referred to as "
Manchesterism," reflecting his focus on reducing the north-south divide and decentralizing power from Westminster. Before his mayoralty, he was the
Member of Parliament (MP) for Leigh from 2001 to 2017 and held several Cabinet positions under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, including
Secretary of State for Health and
Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
- He was re-elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester three times (2017, 2021, and 2024) before returning to Parliament as the MP for Makerfield in June 2026.
- Burnham is married to Marie-France van Heel and has three children.
- He is the seventh UK prime minister in a decade, emphasizing a platform of stability and a "new plan for Britain" to address the cost of living and regional inequality.
