India, July 18 -- Just days before formally taking office, incoming British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is preparing a pair of early policy announcements designed to signal a decisive break from his predecessor's approach, backing new North Sea drilling despite Labour's own manifesto pledge and moving toward public control of the debt-laden utility Thames Water.

Burnham's team has asked Britain's civil service to draw up plans for new energy and water policies that could be unveiled as soon as next week, people familiar with the matter told the BBC, as the incoming UK prime minister looks to use his first days in office to mark a clean break from the Starmer government.

Burnham is set to succeed Keir Starmer as prime minister on Monday,...