Andy Burnham will give his first speech as Labour leader on Friday, promising to be "unashamedly Labour" and to "fix the big things" before he takes over as prime minister from Sir Keir Starmer next week. The Guardian ITV News

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who chairs Labour's ruling national executive committee (the body that oversees the party's internal governance), will announce Burnham as the new party leader at the party conference. Burnham was previously mayor of Greater Manchester, a role that earned him the nickname "King of the North." BBC News Reuters

The handover follows a turbulent period for the party. Starmer resigned as Labour leader last month, saying he accepted he was not the best person to lead the party into the next general election. Heavy Labour losses in May's local elections (council contests held across parts of England) and Burnham's by-election victory in Makerfield — a seat in the North West of England — led to widespread calls from Labour MPs for Starmer to step aside. Other potential leadership contenders said they would not run against Burnham, allowing him to become the next prime minister unopposed. BBC News

Starmer spoke to Sky News during a visit to Ukraine on Thursday, saying he wanted an "orderly transition" and had built a "sound foundation" for Burnham. Starmer said he will support his successor and offer advice privately. BBC News

In his speech on Friday, Burnham will set out his devolution agenda — the policy of transferring powers from central government in London to regional and national bodies — and commit to being a leader for every nation and region of the UK. He will say making the economy work for people across the country will require a "new path to the one we've been on for the last 40 years." BBC News

Burnham will promise a "distinctively Labour" programme, including more public control of utilities such as water and a push for reindustrialisation — rebuilding Britain's industrial base, particularly in regions that lost manufacturing jobs in earlier decades. He will say Labour will be more united under his leadership and more open to working with other parties on long-term challenges. Burnham will also pay tribute to Starmer for winning the 2024 general election, pointing to NHS improvements and public services investment as achievements of the Labour government. BBC News

Steve Rotherham, mayor of the Liverpool City Region and a close ally of Burnham, said those who think Burnham's premiership will be the same as before are "absolutely deluded." BBC News

The leadership handover has not been without friction within the parliamentary party. Graham Stringer was one of 24 Labour MPs who did not nominate Burnham as leader, saying a "whole series of major policies are still a mystery." Labour Party leadership nominations formally opened with Burnham as the frontrunner, the Associated Press reported, and by July 10 an overwhelming show of support from Labour MPs left him on the brink of becoming Britain's next prime minister. Associated Press Reuters BBC News

Burnham's route back to Westminster (the UK Parliament) began last month when he won a by-election in Makerfield — a by-election is a vote held to fill a single parliamentary seat that has become vacant between general elections. The Associated Press, reporting from Ashton-in-Makerfield, said Burnham won the special election for a seat in Parliament. Sky News reported from the home ground of Ashton FC, where Burnham gave a victory speech as the new MP for Makerfield. BBC News Associated Press Sky News

Since becoming an MP, Burnham has given interviews to LBC and Gary Lineker and hosted an online Q&A session on Reddit. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch challenged Burnham during the Reddit Q&A to "come out from hiding, face a proper press conference and submit yourself to scrutiny." BBC News

Burnham offered some details about his blueprint for office in a speech in Manchester earlier this month, ITV News Granada reported on June 19. In that speech, reported by Reuters on June 29, he vowed to "rip up politics as usual." BBC News ITV News Granada Reuters

Cabinet post announcements are not expected until Monday, when Burnham takes office. Multiple reports suggest Shabana Mahmood could be Burnham's pick for chancellor (the Treasury minister responsible for the nation's finances), and the BBC was told there are "live discussions" over this. BBC News

The broader context here is a party that has trailed Reform UK in opinion polls for almost 18 months, according to the BBC. Burnham's ascent, routed through a northern by-election rather than the conventional Shadow Cabinet trajectory, is an attempt to reset that political dynamic. His emphasis on devolution and a four-nations approach signals a deliberate departure from the centralising tendencies of recent administrations, Labour and Conservative alike. The pledge to pursue "public control of utilities" and reindustrialisation places him to the economic left of the outgoing Starmer government, while his commitment to working with other parties suggests an awareness that the parliamentary arithmetic — the balance of seats that determines whether a government can pass legislation — may demand it. BBC News

For those working in and around Westminster, the immediate operational questions concern the composition of Burnham's cabinet and the degree to which his devolution rhetoric translates into concrete legislative proposals. The 24 MPs who withheld their nominations represent a potential seam of discontent, and Badenoch's challenge on scrutiny is likely to be a running theme from the Conservative benches. The week ahead will set the tone: Friday's speech, the party conference announcement, and Monday's cabinet appointments.