More change? | Andy Burnham becomes PM: What it means for HR, hiring & workers' rights

The UK has its sixth new Prime Minister in a decade. 

Andy Burnham was confirmed today (July 20) as the new PM following Keir Starmer’s resignation, and his arrival in Downing Street leaves HR leaders facing fresh questions over the future direction of employment policy, while businesses are still implementing reforms introduced under the Employment Rights Act.

Burnham’s premiership is expected to bring renewed focus to vocational education, regional employment and the cost of hiring, as employers wait to see whether the change in leadership will also herald a more interventionist approach to workers’ rights.

Among the new PM’s clearest priorities is an education system that places technical and academic routes on a more equal footing, supported by additional work placements for 16 to 18-year-olds and guaranteed apprenticeships.