Andy Burnham took office as the United Kingdom's prime minister on July 20 following Keir Starmer's resignation, and he is expected to begin announcing Cabinet appointments later in the day, Reuters reported on July 20. In his first address outside Downing Street, Burnham pledged to restore political stability and reform the country's economic model, said he would tackle homelessness as his first act, announced measures to combat the rising cost of living from July 21, and said he would release a 10-year plan for the country later in 2026.

Burnham is the United Kingdom's seventh prime minister since 2016 and the fifth to enter office without winning a general election, underscoring the political instability that has riddled the country since the Brexit referendum. Starmer announced his resignation on June 22 after polling indicated that scandals and a stagnant economy had halved public support for Labour since its July 2024 election victory, with over 100 lawmakers demanding his exit after a disastrous local election defeat in May, the worst for a governing party in more than 30 years. Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, returned to Parliament through a June 18 by-election and secured the position of Labour leader uncontested on July 17.