Andy Burnham takes office as Britain's prime minister Monday, facing mounting pressure to tackle the political and economic challenges that have brought down six predecessors in the past decade.
On Friday, delegates overwhelmingly backed the former Greater Manchester mayor as leader of the Labour Party, following Keir Starmer's resignation last month.
His top priority now will be boosting the economy and improving living standards for voters who have despaired over soaring energy and food prices since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Burnham will have little room for maneuver amid sluggish economic growth, high public debt and strict financial rules requiring him to balance government spending against tax revenue.
In a speech on Friday, Burnham said he wanted to "take us to a country where life is more affordable."
