Key points from Andy Burnham's first speech as prime minister
What did Andy Burnham say in his first address after becoming the new British prime minister
Andy Burnham pledged to bring “hope” back to Britain in his first speech after becoming prime minister.
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King Charles offered Mr Burnham the chance to form a government on Monday morning after Sir Keir Starmer had also been in Downing Street to give his resignation to the King.
Joined by his wife Marie-France van Heel, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester then gave a speech outside No 10 where he acknowledged that his generation "must do better" as he became the fifth PM in five years.
He said: “It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge.
“Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again.
“And that is our challenge – to make politics work, to make it work better.”
Here are some of the key points from his speech.
Read also: What will Andy Burnham do as prime minister?
Key points from Andy Burnham's first speech as prime minister
Support for Ukraine
The new Prime Minister indicated that Mr Zelenskyy will be one of the first foreign leaders he will speak to.
Mr Burnham said he would tell Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy he will “be there for him” and the UK’s support would remain “resolute” under his premiership.
He added that he would also call US president Donald Trump.
Pledge to end rough sleeping
Mr Burnham has said his first instruction to his Government as Prime Minister will be to “end rough sleeping in our country”.
Just hours before formally becoming the UK’s new leader, he visited homelessness charity The Passage in Victoria, London.
Ten year plan to rebuild Britain
Mr Burnham's first address to the nation as PM was a promise to "change politics," through a wide nationalisation programme, pledge to build new council housing, and take power from Downing Street into local communities.
He pledged to use public procurements to rebuild Britain with a 10 year plan that he will announce later this year.
And will set out some his cost of living crisis plans tomorrow, including a promise to build more council homes.
“I’m not saying that means I’m setting out to say I’m going to be here for 10 years. It’s more that we’re not in the right place structurally.”
Admission that politicians need to do better
“I am acutely conscious that I am the sixth person in the last ten years to walk up this street, the seventh prime minister since 2016, making this a moment for reflection and new resolution," Mr Burnham said.
“It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge.
“Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again.
“And that is our challenge – to make politics work, to make it work better.”
