Andy Burnham officially becomes British prime minister

LONDON -- British Labour Party leader Andy Burnham officially became Britain's prime minister on Monday after King Charles III invited him to form a government.

He succeeded Keir Starmer, who earlier tendered his resignation to the king.

Burnham later delivered his first speech as prime minister outside 10 Downing Street. Noting that he was the seventh British prime minister since 2016, he acknowledged that politicians had "not been good enough" and pledged to do better, while promising "a new political model and a new economic model."

"We will take power out of here and carry it into every postcode in the land," he said, pledging to reindustrialize Britain and bring essential services under stronger public control.

Burnham previously served as culture secretary, health secretary and mayor of Greater Manchester. After unsuccessful bids for the Labour leadership in 2010 and 2015, he returned to the House of Commons by winning the Macclesfield by-election on June 19 and was elected Labour leader on July 17.

Labour suffered heavy losses in local elections in May, prompting growing calls within the party for Starmer to step down. On June 22, Starmer announced that he would resign as Labour leader and step down as prime minister once a successor had been chosen.

British media said Burnham faces major challenges, including weak economic growth, strained public services, a high cost of living and an increasingly fragmented political landscape.