Burnham enters No. 10 as Britain gets seventh PM in a decade

Andy Burnham is moving into Downing Street after becoming Britain’s seventh prime minister in 10 years, according to Deadline.

The former Greater Manchester mayor was due at Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles III, the formal step that confirms him as prime minister and invites him to form a government, Deadline reported.

Burnham took over as Labour leader on Friday after running without opposition, according to the report. He succeeds Keir Starmer, who stepped down following weak poll numbers, poor local election results and a scandal involving former U.S. ambassador Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer delivered his final speech on Monday morning, Deadline said.

A familiar Labour face takes charge

Burnham, 56, has been a regular presence in British politics for two decades. Deadline noted that he served as culture secretary and then health secretary in the Labour government of the late 2000s.

He later made two unsuccessful bids to lead the Labour Party before building a national profile during nearly 10 years as Greater Manchester mayor, according to the report.

Deadline said Burnham’s mayoral stint helped lift his popularity, with policies he has said he wants to introduce across the country. The outlet also described him as widely regarded as more charismatic than Starmer.

After meeting the King, Burnham is expected to speak outside 10 Downing Street, his new official residence, Deadline reported. He is also set to choose his cabinet on Monday afternoon.

Culture brief under the microscope

Britain’s film and television sector will be watching Burnham’s culture secretary pick closely, Deadline reported.

Lisa Nandy, the current culture secretary and a close ally of Burnham, is reportedly expected to leave that job to lead a new “super ministry” in the north of England, according to Deadline.

Nandy has been handling several major decisions for the sector. Deadline reported that one is whether the UK government should intervene in Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery’s $110 billion merger, with a decision now not expected until early September.

Another issue is the BBC’s funding model. According to Deadline, Nandy recently backed a proposal to change the BBC licence fee so that streaming service subscribers would have to pay the £180, or $240, annual charge.

Deadline also reported that the government has been considering legislation that would require YouTube and TikTok to promote public service content from the BBC and other broadcasters.

Greater Manchester roots

Burnham was a vocal supporter of Greater Manchester’s successful bid to host the Edinburgh TV Festival, Deadline reported. The outlet quoted him as saying the move would “open a new chapter defined by the unmistakable character that only Greater Manchester can bring.”

The region also includes Salford, which is home to thousands of BBC staff following a relocation from London that Deadline described as broadly seen as one of the country’s most successful moves of its kind.

Burnham’s arrival continues a rapid turnover at the top of British politics. Deadline listed Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak among his recent predecessors, and noted that most of the prime ministers in the past decade left office without losing a general election.

This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.