Andy Burnham was officially sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Makerfield on Monday, June 22, 2026, just hours after Keir Starmer announced his resignation as Labour Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The ceremony took place in the House of Commons, where Burnham was greeted with loud cheers from Labour colleagues.
Burnham Takes Oath Amid Cheers
According to the BBC, around 200 MPs were present in the hall to welcome Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor. He bowed his head several times as he made his way through the chamber and grinned widely as he received warm greetings from supportive MPs. Sky News also reported on the event.
The 56-year-old took the oath shortly after newly elected SNP MP Lara Bird and Conservative MP Douglas Lumsden were sworn in. He later exchanged pleasantries with the Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, before officially taking his seat as the representative for Makerfield.
Starmer Resigns as PM
Keir Starmer formally resigned as British prime minister on Monday morning, June 22, 2026. In an emotion-laden speech outside 10 Downing Street, the 63-year-old stated that he had “heard the answer” of his party regarding whether he was best placed to lead it into the next general election and “accepts that answer with good grace.”
Burnham Emerges as PM Contender
With his swearing-in, Burnham is now seen as a potential successor to Starmer as prime minister. He presents himself as an amiable northern everyman who prefers T-shirts to suits and ties and spends his spare time playing soccer or spinning 1990s tunes during DJ battles. The Sydney Morning Herald described him as an experienced politician whose career has taken him from high-level government jobs to the mayoralty of Greater Manchester, and now to the cusp of the prime minister’s office.
A video of Burnham being sworn in has been trending on social media, capturing the moment he bowed and smiled while making his way through the Commons chamber. More details are expected to follow as the political transition unfolds.
