Labour leader Keir Starmer officially becomes UK prime minister

Labour leader Keir Starmer on Friday morning officially became prime minister of the United Kingdom.

Starmer received the blessing of King Charles III to form a government in a ceremony known as the “kissing of hands,” according to the Associated Press.

Starmer led his party to a landslide election victory, to become the first leader from the center-left party to win a U.K. national election since Tony Blair, who won three in a row starting in 1997, the wire service also reports.

He began his victory speech outside of 10 Downing Street by thanking his predecessor, Rishi Sunak, before saying “the work of change begins immediately.”

He also said: “My government will make you believe again. ... We will rebuild Britain.”