Andy Burnham has arrived at Buckingham Palace to seek the King's permission to form a new government, less than an hour after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer tendered his resignation. Burnham, the Member of Parliament for Makerfield, is poised to become the United Kingdom's seventh Prime Minister in a decade.
Starmer met with the King at Buckingham Palace to formally resign after serving two years in office. His tenure as Prime Minister lasted 745 days, making it one of the shortest in recent decades, surpassing only those of Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss. Starmer's time in Number 10 was significantly shorter than his predecessors, including Theresa May (1,106 days) and Margaret Thatcher.
Burnham, 56, is expected to use his first speech on Downing Street to outline his vision for what he has termed 'a more stable and responsible politics.' He is also anticipated to reveal his initial Cabinet appointments. There is speculation that Shabana Mahmood may be appointed Chancellor to reassure markets, despite calls from the traditional Labour Left for Ed Miliband to receive the position.
Despite Burnham's imminent appointment, he faces calls to hold a general election, as he will assume the role of Prime Minister without a direct electoral mandate. A significant challenge will be to win over voters in southern England, as polling suggests many outside his Manchester stronghold question his right to lead the country, particularly after what some perceive as an indirect rise to power.
Burnham's path to this point included a recent victory in the Makerfield by-election, following a period where he was initially blocked from running in the Gordon and Denton by-election in February. That by-election was won by the Green Party's Hannah Spencer.
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Burnham's arrival at Buckingham Palace marked the culmination of a swift political transition. He was met by Major Ben Rigby, His Majesty's Equerry, and Sir Clive Alderton, Private Secretary to the King. His wife, Marie-France van Heel, accompanied him.
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