Key takeaways as Andy Burnham becomes PM

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock Published 15 minutes ago Andy Burnham has replaced Sir Keir Starmer as UK prime minister, after becoming Labour leader last week. The former mayor of Greater Manchester becomes the country's fourth prime minister in five years and the seventh since 2016. Live: Andy Burnham sets out his priorities as prime minister Burnham's first priorities are rough sleeping and the cost of living In his first speech in Downing Street, Burnham announced he would "end rough sleeping in our country". This was swiftly followed by a No 10 press release promising an extra £340m for the task over the next five years. He also promised a new 10-year plan for Britain - to be unveiled later this year - and to build a new economy, putting "life's essentials back under public control". But arguing that people also needed "breathing space now", he said announcements on tackling the cost of living would start on Tuesday. Other changes he promised included changing the education system to help young people into work, building more council homes, and honouring commitments to fund defence while sticking to the UK's spending and debt rules. Burnham pledges to end rough sleeping in first speech as prime minister Published 14 minutes ago Burnham promises help with your money. How could it affect you? Published 1 hour ago A new cabinet will soon be named One of Burnham's first tasks will be to appoint ministers, with announcements expected on Monday afternoon. There could be fairly big changes at cabinet level, as Burnham makes room to manoeuvre his allies into top jobs. Prime ministers tend to sack departing ministers behind closed doors, in the privacy of their House of Commons office. Those invited to join the cabinet are then asked to walk up Downing Street, usually with a beaming smile. A big moment will be when we find out who his chancellor will be - along with other key appointments, such as foreign secretary and home secretary. Watch: Starmer resigns, Burnham becomes PM... the day so far Published 2 hours ago 'A circuit-breaker moment' - Watch Andy Burnham's first speech as PM in full Published 2 hours ago The new PM didn't use a lectern Image source, EPA/Shutterstock There was much that was familiar about Burnham's speech in front of the famous black No 10 door, which was thronged with staffers and supporters. But perhaps conscious that "lectern moments" have become a symbol of the UK's political instability in recent years, Burnham broke with recent tradition and made the address without notes or a podium. He said that he was "acutely conscious" of the churn in the office behind him, stressing that the UK badly needed to regain stability. This would require politicians to "make politics work better" and "raise our game and rise to the new challenge", he added. Who is Andy Burnham's wife, Marie-France van Heel? Published 2 hours ago Starmer and Burnham visited the King King Charles III said his farewells to Sir Keir in a final private audien