Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Monday pledged to introduce a 10-year plan to rebuild the country, tackle the cost-of-living crisis, and end rough sleeping as he formally took office.
Earlier in the day, Burnham, accompanied by his wife Marie-France van Heel, met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, where he was invited to form a government following the resignation of Keir Starmer.
The 56-year-old Labour leader later arrived at 10 Downing Street to applause from supporters, noting that he had become Britain’s seventh prime minister since 2016.
In his first address outside Downing Street, Burnham said Britain must demonstrate to the world that it could “regain stability” by embracing “a new political model” and building “a new economy.”
While providing few details of his long-term strategy, he said his government would soon present a 10-year national plan aimed at addressing the country’s key challenges.
Among his immediate priorities, Burnham pledged to provide relief from the rising cost of living and announced that his first instruction would be to work towards ending rough sleeping across the country.
He also promised to reindustrialise Britain through public procurement policies and accelerate the construction of more public housing.
Speaking earlier to broadcasters, Burnham said his first international calls as prime minister would be to US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reaffirming Britain’s continued support for Ukraine.