Andy Burnham Is Now The British Prime Minister. He Is Vowing To Implement a New Economic Model

Andy Burnham took office as the new British Prime Minister on Monday, vowing to implement a new economic model and end with years of instability.

"I know people ​at home are fed up with politics. I hear you, and I want to be honest with you, we have not ⁠been good enough and we need to be better," Burnham said outside of 10 Downing Street, the residence of the prime minister.

He went on to claim his leadership will be a "circuit-breaker" for Britain, which has seen seven prime minister in the past ten years since voting to leave the European Union.

Elsewhere in the speech, Burnham said he will unveil a plan for the next 10 years within months. He then vowed to announce immediate measures related to the cost of living on Tuesday and to explain how he will cost them.

He also said his first phone calls will be with U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Burnham previously served in several Cabinet positions under former Prime Minister Gordon Brown before becoming mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017, a role that raised his national profile during the COVID-19 pandemic and cemented his reputation as one of Labour's most influential regional leaders, gaining him the nickname "King in the North."

Burnham also pledged to fight against the rise of right-wing party Reform UK. However, the party's Nigel Farage is facing controversy of his own after facing allegations that he failed to declare a £5 million ($6.7 million) gift from cryptocurrency investor and Reform donor Christopher Harborne in 2024.

Reports have also linked him to financial support from George Cottrell, a political ally who was convicted of wire fraud in the United States in 2017. As a result, he is being investigated by the parliament's standards watchdog.

Farage has denied any wrongdoing and recently resigned so his constituents will "judge" his actions in a new special election. "I ‌will fight to win. I will fight to continue the political ⁠revolution that Reform has started," he said, in reference to Reform UK, the party he leads and is topping most of the UK's opinion polls.

However, the move has backfired as his potential challengers refused to take part in the election, leaving him to only face a parody candidate: Count Binface, portrayed by comedian Jon Harvey, who has ran in several British parliamentary elections wearing a trash can on his head and a superhero-resembling suit and cape. "Game on, Nige," said in a social media post after Farage's announcement.