All articles tagged with #keir starmer
Andy Burnham becomes Britain’s prime minister after Keir Starmer steps down amid defeats, pledging a bold, people-first reform agenda and a shift of power back to citizens while navigating cabinet infighting, a cost-of-living crisis, NHS revival, and a Reform UK challenge; the handover followed a ceremonial audience with the king at Buckingham Palace.
Labour leader Andy Burnham is poised to become Britain’s next prime minister after meeting King Charles III to formally replace Keir Starmer; Burnham will take on a royal-backed government in a ceremony known as the ‘kissing of hands,’ deliver his first remarks from No. 10, and name his initial Cabinet, marking a midterm leadership change that does not require a general election until 2029 unless called sooner.
Andy Burnham is poised to become the United Kingdom’s next prime minister, replacing Keir Starmer as Britain endures a decade of political churn driven by stagnant wages and high taxes; his historic Catholic faith marks a first for the office, and the transition will unfold with Buckingham Palace ceremonies and subsequent cabinet appointments as Burnham forms a government.
Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, has won the Makerfield by-election and is set to become Labour's leader and Britain's next prime minister, replacing Keir Starmer, with the party able to delay a general election until 2029. A left-leaning reformer focused on infrastructure, housing and regional empowerment, Burnham would carry a broad domestic agenda and commit to NATO and Ukraine, while critics say he lacks recent national-security experience. He has long criticized Donald Trump, a stance that could shape Britain’s relationship with the U.S. as he ascends to Downing Street.
Reform UK proposes a £100m plan to provide round-the-clock security for all 650 MPs and extend protection to former politicians, prompted by Ann Widdecombe's death. The policy, announced by home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf, would be overseen by the home secretary if Reform wins power, with security resources allocated based on threat assessments and existing parliamentary funding reviewed by Ipsa and the Commons.
Andy Burnham, newly elected Labour MP for Makerfield, is set to become Labour leader and Britain’s prime minister after securing unassailable backing from 349 Labour MPs—well above the 81 needed to nominate. With Keir Starmer having resigned, Burnham will formally take the leadership on Friday and assume the premiership on Monday. He pledges a major shift of power to the regions and a focus on growth and regeneration, but he lacks a fresh electoral mandate and faces internal party turmoil and questions about Starmer’s exit and reforms.
French President Emmanuel Macron awarded UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer the Legion d’Honneur in Paris, recognizing his role in convening the Coalition of the Willing and backing Ukraine, as Starmer prepares to step down and his successor signals closer ties with Europe.
Labour deputy leader David Lammy said Keir Starmer’s early comments on Gaza were a misstep that gave Labour a poor start in opposition, after Starmer suggested Israel has a general right to defend itself; Andy Burnham apologised for Labour’s initial response, and Labour later supported a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, with broader moves on foreign policy alongside ongoing domestic concerns.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally apologizes for the state- and church-backed forced adoptions carried out between 1949 and 1976, affecting about 185,000 children; the government pledges funding to help adoptees access records, reconnect families, and study long-term impacts, following Church of England admissions of responsibility and earlier recommendations.
Former Labour chief of staff Morgan McSweeney concedes Labour failed to adequately prepare for governing after its 2024 win, saying the party didn’t anticipate how the world had changed since the 1990s or have a clear plan to deliver quick results. He criticises early missteps, including welfare policy decisions and donor freebies, takes responsibility as part of leadership, and expresses cautious support for Andy Burnham as a future leader while planning to step back from politics for several years.
A BBC analysis traces how Sir Keir Starmer’s government lost governing capacity as internal dissent, policy U-turns, and a string of public and private crises (including staffing departures, the Mandelson controversy, and the Tapp row) fractured discipline in No 10. With Labour MPs losing faith and popularity waning after the May elections, party figures look to Andy Burnham as the likely next prime minister, signaling the terminal erosion of Starmer’s authority as his departure timetable looms.
Keir Starmer resigns after a tenure marked by scandals, reversals and sweeping local defeats, paving the way for Andy Burnham to become Britain’s next prime minister as Labour faces a multi-party post-Brexit landscape. The piece argues Labour’s 2024 majority was an illusion born of Britain’s electoral dysfunction, and while Burnham’s charisma offers hope to arrest the downward slide, there’s no guarantee he can reverse the trajectory before the next election.
President Donald Trump said he knows little about Andy Burnham, calling him 'extremely liberal' and suggesting Burnham would likely oppose opening Britain’s North Sea to more oil drilling. He also reiterated that Keir Starmer should have opened the North Sea, noting Starmer’s resignation amid weak poll numbers, while Burnham remains the Labour leadership’s sole declared contender who could be appointed by mid-July.
UK voters want change after Keir Starmer’s resignation but prefer a full Labour leadership contest over an immediate Burnham coronation; Burnham leads in head-to-head PM matchups, yet 54% want a leadership contest and a 2029 general election would likely be required, with forecasts suggesting Labour would still fall short of a majority, implying a potential coalition.
With Keir Starmer stepping down amid slipping public support, Labour is bracing for a leadership contest in which Andy Burnham is among potential contenders; candidates must secure the backing of at least 81 Labour MPs to run, and the party faces internal divisions and electoral pressure from rivals as the Brexit-era economic pains linger.