Andy Burnham formally assumed leadership of the UK Labour Party on Friday, paving the way for him to become the country’s next prime minister. According to a New York Times report, King Charles III is expected to invite Burnham to form a government on Monday, after which he will take office as the United Kingdom’s 59th prime minister. The former mayor of Greater Manchester takes charge at a time when the nation faces slow economic growth, high public debt, a strained National Health Service, and deep political divisions.

In his speech at a special Labour Party conference in central London, Burnham pledged to confront long-ignored national issues and to challenge political and economic systems that fail ordinary citizens. He emphasized restoring public hope, empowering local communities, and building a business-friendly yet distinctly Labour government focused on practical solutions rather than internal divisions.

Burnham also criticized the economic policies of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, promising a new path for governance that departs from the direction followed over the past four decades.