King Charles III on Monday appointed newly elected Labour Party leader Andy Burnham as the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister and tasked him with forming a new government, Buckingham Palace announced.

Earlier in the day, the King received the former Mayor of Greater Manchester, accompanied by his Dutch-born wife, Marie-France van Heel. Burnham then headed to 10 Downing Street, where he succeeded Keir Starmer, becoming the fourth prime minister to serve under King Charles III since the monarch ascended the throne in September 2022.

In his first speech after being invited by King Charles III to form a government, Burnham pledged to introduce a 10-year plan for Britain, stressing the need to restore political stability.

“Britain must show the world that we are capable of restoring our stability once again,” he said, adding that his first directive would be to end rough sleeping across the country.

Burnham also pledged to introduce new measures to help address the rising cost of living.

He promised Britons “some immediate relief,” saying the government would announce measures to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and explain how those initiatives would be financed.

Looking further ahead, Burnham said his government would help more young people secure employment by reforming the education system and expanding support services, including mental health assistance. He also pledged to build more affordable rental housing.

“This is the fair and sustainable way to reduce welfare spending, uphold our fiscal rules, and meet our defence commitments to our international partners,” he said.

Source: AFP + Reuters