Sir Keir Starmer gives final speech as prime minister as Andy Burnham takes office

Sir Keir Starmer has delivered his final address as prime minister on Monday, marking the end of his time in the post as Andy Burnham takes over the country's top job. Speaking before an applauding crowd, Starmer said: "My work is done" and wished Burnham well. The moment comes after Starmer had repeatedly said he would remain in office, before announcing he would step down on 22 June, four days after Burnham won a Westminster seat.

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The speech was presented as Starmer's last in the role and was framed around a formal handover of power. The timing places the transition on Monday, with Burnham now following Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss in the sequence of recent prime ministers. The remarks were delivered in public and captured in a video format, underlining the ceremonial nature of the moment.

Starmer's departure closes a short but closely watched period in office and opens a new phase under Burnham. The change matters because the office of prime minister carries immediate responsibility for government direction, parliamentary management and the country's response to domestic and international issues. Even without further policy detail in the available material, the handover itself is a significant political event because it changes the leadership at the centre of government.

The transition also highlights the speed with which political authority can shift once a leader signals an exit. Starmer's earlier assurances that he would stay on, followed by his decision to step down, created a defined end point for his premiership. Burnham's arrival follows a Westminster seat win, which is the immediate political basis for his move into the top job, according to the supplied material.

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The available information does not set out the full circumstances of the leadership change, any cabinet reshuffle, or the process by which Burnham assumed office. It also does not provide detail on Starmer's record in office beyond his own statement that his work was done. What remains to be seen is how Burnham will set out his priorities and how quickly the new administration will establish its agenda.

For now, the key development is the formal end of Starmer's premiership and the start of Burnham's. The next points to watch are any official statements from the new prime minister, the composition of his government, and whether further details emerge about the transition. The handover is already politically significant, but the practical impact will depend on the decisions taken in the days ahead.

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