Andy Burnham, nicknamed the 'King of the North', was elected leader of Britain's governing Labour Party on Friday (July 17), the final step before becoming its seventh prime minister in a decade on a pledge to thwart the rise of the populist Reform UK.

At a 'special conference', Burnham, who earned the regal moniker for his determination as mayor of Greater Manchester to defend the region's interests, said he was ready for power and would work to offer hope to people.

"We are united and we put the power that comes from that unity at the service of people and places who have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again," he told a room full of Labour lawmakers and party officials.

He also paid tribute to Keir Starmer, the man he will replace as British prime minister on Monday (July 20), when the party will be eager to find out his cabinet team and learn more about his approach to government.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Andy Burnham becomes UK Labour leader; next stop - prime minister

VIDEO SHOWS: ANDY BURNHAM BEING ANNOUNCED AS LABOUR LEADER / SPEECH BY BURNHAM

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 17, 2026) (UK POOL – Broadcast: No use UK. Digital: No use UK, except UK newspapers)

1. VARIOUS OF ANDY BURNHAM WALKING INTO ROOM BEHIND DEPUTY LEADER OF THE LABOUR PARTY LUCY POWELL AND HOME SECRETARY AND LABOUR’S NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR, SHABANA MAHMOOD

2. BURNHAM WALKING TO SEAT, WAVING TO CROWD

3. MAHMOOD WALKING ON STAGE

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITAIN’S HOME SECRETARY AND LABOUR’S NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR, SHABANA MAHMOOD, SAYING:

“My honour to declare that the duly elected leader of the Labour Party is Andy Burnham."

5. BURNHAM REACTING TO ANNOUNCEMENT, HUGGING HIS WIFE MARIE-FRANCE VAN HEEL

6. AUDIENCE GIVING STANDING APPLAUSE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK LABOUR PARTY LEADER, ANDY BURNHAM, SAYING:

“I am ready. Ready to lead and to build on the foundation laid by one person more than any other. Under Keir Starmer's leadership, we went from our worst defeat to one of the best victories in our history. Keir put Labour back in a position to change people's lives, and that is what we have been doing these last two years."

8. AUDIENCE APPLAUDING

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK LABOUR PARTY LEADER, ANDY BURNHAM, SAYING:

“We are united, and we put the power that comes from that unity at the service of people and places who have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again. That's what we're going to do, everybody. We're going to give them hope back."

10. BURNHAM ON STAGE, AUDIENCE APPLAUDING

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK LABOUR PARTY LEADER, ANDY BURNHAM, SAYING:

“I will work relentlessly to build a culture of one Labour team because change starts with us. We won't beat Britain's new right if we are consumed by infighting and pulling in different directions. That is, and always has been, an indulgence that falls heaviest on the people who need Labour most. Fighting to eradicate it and the insidious briefing culture that goes along with it will characterise my leadership."

12. FORMER LABOUR PARTY LEADER NEIL KINNOCK LISTENING

13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK LABOUR PARTY LEADER, ANDY BURNHAM, SAYING:

"And I will lead this party in that spirit. Not seeking to suspend or punish members who have principled views that may be different from mine, but building unity by respecting all shades of opinion."

14. SIDE VIEW OF BURNHAM GIVING SPEECH

15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK LABOUR PARTY LEADER, ANDY BURNHAM, SAYING:

"I haven't made any decisions yet about who will be in that top team, but I will soon, and when I have, you will see it reflects all parts of our party, all communities, and it will reflect your own place within this great party of ours. A stronger, more united Labour Party, lifting up a stronger and more united Britain."

16. LONDON MAYOR SADIQ KHAN APPLAUDING

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK LABOUR PARTY LEADER, ANDY BURNHAM, SAYING:

“And let's have the self-confidence to find common ground with other parties where we can. By seeking more consensus, we may just find the change we make is more lasting. We may find our political discourse in this country becomes that little bit less toxic, and we should be working to achieve that too."

18. KINNOCK LISTENING

19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK LABOUR PARTY LEADER, ANDY BURNHAM, SAYING:

“We won't try to out-green the Greens or out-reform Reform or do what we've done in the past of wearing too many Tory clothes. Let me tell you, I'm quite happy that Kemi (Badenoch) doesn't approve of my wardrobe choices because I'm not keen on theirs either. From here we do it differently. We win by being us. Boldly, confidently, authentically us. Labour, that's how we win."

20. POWELL AND MAHMOOD AND OTHERS LISTENING

21.(SOUNDBITE) (English) UK LABOUR PARTY LEADER, ANDY BURNHAM, SAYING:

“Make no mistake everybody, I will be a pro-business leader of the Labour Party as I was a pro-business mayor of Greater Manchester. We turn places round together, and that is the way we ran in Manchester and we will take it to the whole country."

22. AUDIENCE APPLAUDING

23. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK LABOUR PARTY LEADER, ANDY BURNHAM, SAYING:

"And if we don't have sufficient public control over the cost of the essentials, how can we have control over inflation, public spending, and the rest of the economy? The right used the phrase take back control, but they are the ones who gave it away in the first place."

24. AUDIENCE GIVING STANDING APPLAUSE AT END OF BURNHAM'S SPEECH

25. BURNHAM ON STAGE AT END OF SPEECH