Andy Burnham says politicians 'need to be better' in first speech as UK's new prime minister

By — Jill Lawless, Associated Press Jill Lawless, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/andy-burnham-says-politicians-need-to-be-better-in-first-speech-as-uks-new-prime-minister Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Andy Burnham says politicians 'need to be better' in first speech as UK's new prime minister World Jul 20, 2026 8:32 AM EDT LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Andy Burnham said politicians "need to be better" as he delivered his first speech Monday as Britain's new leader. Burnham spoke for several minutes outside 10 Downing St., where he promised to end street sleeping by homeless people and deliver a "circuit breaker" for a system he says has taken wrong turns since the 1980s. After weeks as leader-in-waiting , Burnham officially became prime minister during a meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, where the monarch asked him to form a government. He succeeded Keir Starmer, on a day when Britain's political turbulence gave way, at least temporarily, to smooth choreography. Buckingham Palace has released a photo of the king and Burnham shaking hands. The ceremony known as "kissing hands" marks the transfer of power. Britain's King Charles III welcomes outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during an audience at Buckingham Palace in London on Monday. Photo by Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP The palace said in a statement that the king "received in audience the Rt. Hon. Andrew Burnham MP and requested him to form a new Administration. The Rt. Hon Andrew Burnham MP accepted The King's offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury." Burnham is the seventh U.K. prime minister since 2016 in a now well-rehearsed handover after replacing Starmer as leader of the center-left governing Labour Party on Friday. Burnham said he was "acutely conscious" that of the revolving door he was walking through. "This a moment for reflection and new resolution," he said. "It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge. Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again, and that is our challenge to make politics work, to make it work better." Just over an hour earlier, Starmer made a short farewell speech outside the prime minister's residence, saying "my work is done." The outgoing leader, forced to resign by his own party, said Britain is now "stronger and fairer than it was two years ago," when he took office. "I go with good grace, I go with a smile and I go proud of everything that we have achieved," Starmer said before heading to Buckingham Palace to offer his resignation to the king. It was an offer "His Majesty was graciously pleased to accept," the palace said in a statement. The king will ask Burnham to take charge Burnham then went to the palace in his turn and Charles will ask him to form a government. That's when he officially becomes