Andy Burnham vows to ‘bring back hope’ as he unveils his cabinet

Andy Burnham is the UK’s sixth prime minister in a decade. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen Andy Burnham is the UK’s sixth prime minister in a decade. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock Andy Burnham vows to ‘bring back hope’ as he unveils his cabinet New prime minister says government must ‘do better’ to deliver change but promises prudent approach to economy UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham has said his arrival in power will “bring back hope” to Britain as he launched his premiership with the surprise appointment of John Healey as chancellor and a promise to repair the damage caused to communities during the Thatcher era. The new UK prime minister acknowledged people were “fed up” with politics as he addressed the country after taking over from Keir Starmer in Downing Street, saying the government needed to “do better” to deliver real change. Six highlights from Andy Burnham’s first Downing Street speech Read more In his speech outside No 10, he said the government would announce “some breathing space” on Tuesday for people on the cost of living, with plans to cut energy bills and bus fares expected as part of a fully funded package. Burnham later told reporters that he would look at “any flexibility” within the government’s existing fiscal rules to help borrow billions more to invest in infrastructure – but would take a “very prudent” approach to the economy. UK 10-year gilt prices dropped after his comments, with the markets already on the edge over the risks of higher borrowing and increased debt. But they had closed by the time that Healey, regarded as a safe pair of hands, was announced. The former defence secretary, whose resignation pushed Starmer to the brink, emerged as the compromise candidate after Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood were tipped for the role. Miliband takes over as foreign secretary while Mahmood remains at the Home Office. View image in fullscreen John Healey was a surprise choice as chancellor, but is considered a safe pair of hands. Photograph: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock In his first world leader call, Burnham spoke to Donald Trump – who had previously suggested he was just mayor of “some town” – inviting him to Manchester for next year’s G20 summit. He also called Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen. Burnham’s arrival in Downing Street as the UK’s sixth prime minister in a decade, after Labour MPs brutally toppled Starmer from office, gives his party an opportunity for a second hearing with the public, but could also unleash yet more instability. Speaking without notes, and watched by his wife, Marie-France van Heel, he said: “I am acutely conscious that I am the sixth person in the last 10 years to walk up this street, the seventh prime minister since 2016, making this a moment for reflection and new resolution. “It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge. Britain needs to show the world that we c