Andy Burnham Expected to Become Prime Minister on July 17 as Starmer Plans to Resign

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his intention to resign last week, prompting Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch to state on Monday that Britain faces a summer of chaos under a caretaker government. Badenoch spoke at a Westminster press conference and said Starmer is barely in office and definitely not in power.

She added that Andy Burnham is already the prime minister in everything but name and that all major policy and spending decisions have been put on hold.

Burnham delivered a landmark policy speech the same day at the People’s History Museum in Manchester. He promised to establish a “No. 10 North” office that would serve as the nerve center of a rewired Britain and coordinate government operations at national and local levels.

Burnham did not take questions after the speech. Washington Examiner reported that he is expected to be confirmed as prime minister on July 17, one day after the House of Commons begins its summer recess. Badenoch urged Burnham to delay the recess by a day or two so he can address Parliament after taking office.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage separately demanded that the next prime minister call a general election without delay.