Andy Burnham overhauls UK Cabinet: Bihar-born Kanishka Narayan made AI minister, Lisa Nandy gets key role

Andy Burnham officially assumed office as the UK's new prime minister on Monday, succeeding Keir Starmer and immediately signalling a change in direction with a major Cabinet reshuffle and a pledge to introduce a 10-year plan aimed at easing the cost-of-living crisis. The 56-year-old also set out ambitions to revive British industry, decentralise power and tackle rough sleeping.

The new administration also carries a notable Indian imprint, with Burnham entrusting Indian-origin politicians Lisa Nandy and Kanishka Narayan with key ministerial portfolios. Nandy retained the culture brief, while Narayan was appointed Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to congratulate Andy Burnham on assuming office as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

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Burnham took charge on Monday after meeting King Charles III at Buckingham Palace following Starmer's exit.

As the fourth prime minister appointed during the King's reign since 2022 and Britain's seventh leader in just over a decade, Burnham said the country must demonstrate that it could "regain stability".

Joined by his wife, Marie-France van Heel, he arrived at Downing Street to applause from supporters, including his mother, before outlining his ambitions from outside Number 10.

He pledged to create "a new political model" and "build a new economy".

Burnham also promised to re-industrialise Britain, devolve more powers from Westminster and eliminate rough sleeping, describing those measures as central to his programme in office.

Cabinet reshaped as Burnham removes Starmer loyalists

Burnham swiftly asserted control over the new administration by dismissing several ministers closely associated with Starmer while promoting allies and reassigning others to different posts.

Among those removed from the Cabinet were Rachel Reeves and David Lammy.

Former defence secretary John Healey was appointed finance minister, while Ed Miliband became foreign minister. Left-wing figure Angela Rayner returned to government.

Wes Streeting, who abandoned plans to challenge Burnham for the Labour leadership, was named defence minister.

Shabana Mahmood retained her role as interior minister to continue her reforms of Britain's asylum system.

Indian-origin politicians secure key roles

Indian-origin Lisa Nandy has been reappointed culture secretary.

Nandy, who has held the post since Labour's 2024 election victory, was formally reappointed by No. 10 on Tuesday. Under her renewed brief, she will once again oversee digital alongside culture, media and sport, according to a post on the Prime Minister's X account.

Indian-origin Kanishka Narayan has been appointed Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, serving jointly in the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. He will also attend Cabinet meetings.

Born in Bihar's Muzaffarpur, Narayan spent his early childhood in the Bihar city before moving to Delhi and later relocating to Cardiff, Wales, at the age of 12.

Raised in Cardiff, Narayan worked across government and the private sector before being elected to Parliament in 2024. He most recently served as the UK's online safety minister.

Calls with Trump and Zelensky underline foreign policy priorities

Among his first official engagements as prime minister, Burnham held separate telephone conversations with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to a UK government spokesperson, Burnham told Trump of his "commitment to defence and security".

Trump later described the discussion as a "very good conversation" and said both leaders expected to meet "in the not too distant future".

"Burnham has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help!" Trump posted on Truth Social, noting they discussed trade, military cooperation and demining the Strait of Hormuz.

During his call with Zelenskyy, Burnham reaffirmed Britain's "resolute commitment" to Ukraine in its defence against Russia's invasion, Downing Street said.

A decade-long plan centred on living costs

In his first speech as prime minister, Burnham said he would "bring forward a new plan for Britain, a 10-year plan", although he did not provide further details.

He said measures aimed at easing the cost-of-living crisis would begin to be announced on Tuesday, promising to "give people some breathing space now, some help with the cost of living".

Burnham also said his first instruction would be to "end rough sleeping", building on efforts he previously pursued while serving as mayor in northern England, although those initiatives did not fully achieve their goal.

He also outlined plans to support British industry through public procurement and increase the construction of public housing.

Reiterating his view that "in the 1980s Britain took some wrong turns", Burnham said he wanted to transfer more decision-making away from Westminster and "put life's essentials back under stronger public control to make them affordable".

Earlier in the day, Starmer left Downing Street with his wife, saying his two years in office had made Britain "stronger and fairer".

Economic and political tests await

Burnham begins his premiership facing a series of domestic and international challenges, including weak economic growth, rising government borrowing costs, an expanding welfare bill and continued arrivals of irregular migrants in small boats, an issue that has strengthened support for the hard-right Reform UK party.

His government must also contend with unpredictable energy prices linked to the US-Iran war and an uncertain relationship with Washington under Trump.

Having previously served as an MP from 2001 to 2017, Burnham returns to national office at a time of high public debt and fiscal rules requiring government spending to remain balanced against tax revenues.

Labour secured a landslide election victory under Starmer in July 2024 after 14 years of Conservative rule, but his time in office became marked by scandals, policy reversals and political setbacks.

Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester known as the "King of the North", was chosen by Labour after Starmer resigned, with MPs viewing him as the party's strongest option to counter Reform, led by Nigel Farage.

However, his rapid appointment as Labour leader and prime minister without a leadership contest, made possible by Labour's commanding parliamentary majority, has prompted opposition politicians to question his mandate and demand a snap election.

French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Burnham on taking office and urged him to "give new momentum to the partnership" with the European Union.