Nick Eardley
Political correspondent, at Downing Street

It looks like the lectern era is over.

There’s been a lot of talk about Andy Burnham not having one - a microphone has just appeared on Downing Street for his speech.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, at Buckingham Palace

Earlier, Andy Burnham swept through the Buckingham Palace gates in a three-car convoy.

With police outriders clearing the way ahead of him, he won't have to worry about red traffic lights for a while.

Burnham's convoy went in through the big front gates of the Palace.

When those ornate gates were first built in 1905 most people in the UK didn't have a vote, including women.

Image source, PA Media

We can now you bring you the full statement from Buckingham Palace confirming Andy Burnham as prime minister.

"His Majesty received in audience the Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP and requested him to form a new Administration. The Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP accepted The King’s offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury."

"Ms Marie-France van Heel was also received by His Majesty," the statement adds.

• Although the Palace says Burnham "kissed hands" with the King, it's thought the men actually shook hands - as our earlier post from royal correspondent Sean Coughlan explains

Andy Burnham is officially the UK’s 59th prime minister.

He's just been invited by King Charles to form a government in a private meeting at Buckingham Palace.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent, at Downing Street

Back on Downing Street, a group of dozens of Labour officials are gathering.

Among them are party figures likely to have advisory roles in the new government.

It may be that they are preparing to line the street to welcome Andy Burnham once he leaves the Palace.

Image source, PA Media

Andy Burnham has just arrived at Buckingham Palace where King Charles will instruct him to form a government - making him the new PM.

His arrival comes shortly after Keir Starmer, who has now formally resigned as prime minister, left the Palace.

Keir Starmer has left Buckingham Palace after stepping down as PM.

As is tradition, he exited privately along with his wife Lady Victoria.

Andy Burnham's arrival at the Palace is the next part of this political choreography we're expecting to see - watch live above.

Kate Whannel
Politics reporter

Image source, Reuters

Keir Starmer’s resignation means there are now nine living former prime ministers - a record number.

The ex-PMs - John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer - are all likely to appear together on Remembrance Sunday for the ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.

At 83, Major is the oldest, while the 46-year-old Sunak is the youngest.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, at Buckingham Palace

This is how power changes hands between leaders in the UK's constitutional system, with a handshake between the King, as head of state, and the departing and arriving Prime Ministers.

The audiences are being held in the Chinese Dining Room.

And if you're wondering about the name, it's a reference to some of the furnishings, which were once in Brighton Pavilion, which was filled with Oriental-style objects.

Queen Victoria sold off Brighton Pavilion to the local corporation in 1850, but kept some of the furniture and used the money to build the east wing of Buckingham Palace, which is the façade with the famous balcony.

Image source, PA Media

Keir Starmer has formally resigned. The role of prime minister is now vacant - but not for long.

We're expecting to see incoming PM Andy Burnham arrive at Buckingham Palace very shortly.

You can watch live at the top of this page.

Image source, PA Media

We've just seen images of Keir Starmer and King Charles shaking hands inside the Palace's Chinese Dining Room - where Starmer resigned as prime minister moments ago.

As we've just reported, Keir Starmer has officially resigned.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace says: "Sir Keir Starmer MP had an audience of the King this morning and tendered his resignation as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury which His Majesty was graciously pleased to accept.

"Lady Starmer was also received by The King."

After a meeting with the King, Keir Starmer has officially stepped down as prime minister.

We'll bring you more on the statement from Buckingham Palace shortly.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, at Buckingham Palace

When the outgoing and incoming prime ministers arrive at Buckingham Palace they'll go inside via the "luggage door", a side-door in the quadrangle, as the grand entrance is being used for the Palace's summer tours.

They'll be met by the King's private secretary Sir Clive Alderton and the King's equerry Major Ben Rigby.

The King, who has come up from his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, will meet the new and old PMs in the Palace's Chinese Dining Room, which is being used for audiences while the Palace undergoes repairs.

Another prime minister has gonepublished at 11:38 BST 20 July

11:38 BST 20 July

Chris Mason
Political editor, at Downing Street

Image source, Getty Images

Keir Starmer reflected on what he sees as his achievements in office, but also those reflections on reviving the Labour Party and bringing it back from its defeats under Jeremy Corbyn.

But the extent to which he leans on that as part of his legacy tells us how limited the window has turned out to be for him to achieve in office, such was the impatience of his party at what they perceived to be a failure to deliver and deliver sufficiently quickly.

That's the root cause of these scenes we are seeing at Downing Street now of Labour and Keir Starmer's staff embracing the odd tear shed there - it's a really big moment for these staff.

Image source, Reuters

And there we have it, Keir Starmer has delivered his final speech as prime minister - here’s a rundown of what we heard:

• My work is done, the outgoing PM said as he took to the lectern outside Downing Street for the last time
• Starmer says he took the Labour Party from a "historic defeat" to a landslide victory in 2024, adding Britain is now a stronger and fairer country

• He wished his successor "every success" and said Andy Burnham has his "full support"
• The outgoing PM thanked his family and staff before saying he would leave Downing Street with "good grace" and a "smile"

Daniela Relph
Senior royal correspondent, at Buckingham Palace

Starmer was driven into the main quadrangle of Buckingham Palace, ready to meet the King along with his wife Lady Victoria.

It's an important show of constitutional monarchy.

He arrived at the luggage door of the palace because of the renovation work that is being done elsewhere.

They will be taken to the Chinese dining room, again not the normal venue they would host this in, so things are a bit different but there is tradition over what will happen in the next 20 minutes.

Starmer meets the King privately, and there will be two chairs next to one another, they will chat and a single photograph will be issued later on.

The King will accept Starmer's resignation, and there is time for the two men to reflect on Starmer's time in office.

The PM's two children and wife are there, who will also meet the King.

And that will be it. Within minutes after, we expect to see the arrival of Andy Burnham.

A brief, less emotional speech from Starmerpublished at 11:29 BST 20 July

11:29 BST 20 July

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent, at Downing Street

A brief speech from Keir Starmer making a similar argument to that he’s made several times in recent weeks: that he has left the country in a better state than he has found it.

There was less visible emotion than when he resigned last month. After all, he has now had several weeks to process his political demise.

There is plenty of emotion from those aides who had been present for the speech, many of them now milling about in the street hugging. The group includes some former advisers and officials who departed in fraught circumstances.

One observation from the street is that it was a novelty for those of us present to actually be able to hear the speech without the noise of protesting from just outside the Downing Street gates. The Met Police banned amplified noise in the immediate vicinity for the first time.

Image source, EPA

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, at Buckingham Palace

Image source, Reuters

For the handover of power at the Palace, it’s something of a sliding doors moment.

We've just seen Keir Starmer arrive at the Palace.

Later, we'll see the mirror image, as incoming PM Andy Burnham arrives in another set of cars.

For the new PM that drive back to Downing Street must be the first taste of a new reality, moving in police convoys, in cars flanked by outriders and intense protection. They’re inside the security bubble now.

For ex-PMs, security continues despite leaving office, so this is the start of a different way of life for Burnham and his family.