Andy Burnham Becomes UK Prime Minister, Plans Talks with Trump and Zelensky

Andy Burnham officially assumed office as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom today, succeeding Keir Starmer who resigned after losing leadership of the Labour Party. Burnham, the seventh UK prime minister in a decade, received his formal appointment from King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. Starmer had submitted his resignation earlier in the day, and shortly after, Burnham was invited to form a new government and was sworn in.

Burnham then arrived at 10 Downing Street for his first day as prime minister. In his inaugural speech, he pledged to unite the country, restore economic stability, and reduce the cost of living, with a special focus on strengthening communities outside London. He announced that his first international calls would be with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Notably, Israel was not mentioned in his initial remarks.

Ahead of taking office, Burnham publicly apologized for Labour’s initial response to the Gaza conflict, admitting that the UK was "too slow to call for a ceasefire." He committed to increasing pressure on the Israeli government and supports expanding sanctions against those involved in violence in the West Bank, including considering bans on trade from settlements and additional export controls. While condemning the extensive destruction in Gaza, Burnham refused to label Israel’s actions as "genocide," stating that war crime determinations are for international courts, not politicians.

Burnham has previously opposed the BDS movement and comprehensive boycotts of Israel, describing them as "harmful." He was a member of Labour Friends of Israel and supports a two-state solution. He strongly condemned the Hamas terror attack on October 7 and emphasized that criticism of Israeli government policy does not conflict with a firm commitment to combating antisemitism and hate crimes against the Jewish community in the UK.