LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday announced his resignation, paving the way for the country’s seventh leader in a decade.
Speaking to the media outside 10 Downing Street, Starmer said he would accept his party’s decision with “good grace” and pledged to provide his successor with “unequivocal and full support”.
“Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first, and that is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” he said.
Starmer said he informed King Charles III about his decision earlier in the morning. He added that he had asked the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee to establish a leadership election timetable beginning on July 9 and concluding before the summer recess.
He said that if a leadership contest takes place, a new leader will be in place before parliament returns in September. Starmer added that he would remain prime minister until the contest is completed and promised to ensure an orderly transfer of power.
Veteran politician Andy Burnham, seen as Starmer’s main challenger, is set to be sworn in as a member of parliament on Monday after winning a key special election on Thursday. His return to parliament clears the way for him to contest the Labour leadership.
At the beginning of his address, Starmer described becoming Labour prime minister two years ago as the “proudest moment” of his life.
He said the election victory ended 14 years of Labour opposition and created an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of people.
Starmer recalled inheriting a Labour Party that he described as “politically, financially and morally bankrupt” six years ago, saying he was repeatedly told the party was finished and could not achieve a major election victory.
He said critics were proven wrong as Labour transformed itself by removing anti-Semitism, restoring trust in the economy, defence and national security, and becoming a party that stood “with, not against” the national flag.
Starmer said the reforms were driven by a single goal: to change Britain for the better by creating a fairer country where people are treated with dignity and respect, and where wealth and opportunities are available to all rather than only a privileged few.
Highlighting his government’s record, Starmer said it had delivered a strong economy, increased wages above inflation every month, secured investments, developed infrastructure and ended austerity.
He also cited a reduction in NHS waiting lists, improvements in workers’ and renters’ rights, the largest increase in defence spending since the Cold War, fewer small boat crossings, closure of asylum hotels, protections for young people from social media and lifting half a million children out of poverty.
Starmer said Britain’s global reputation had been restored under his leadership, adding that the change promised by Labour had been fought for and delivered by his government.
He acknowledged that his party had questioned whether he was the right person to lead Labour into the next general election.
“I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace,” he said while announcing his resignation.
Starmer said his successor would inherit a country that was “far stronger and fairer” than the one he took over two years ago. He expressed hope that the next prime minister would be prepared for future challenges and secure another term for Labour.
He thanked his colleagues, friends and supporters for their commitment and service during his political journey.
Concluding his statement, Starmer thanked his family and said he looked forward to spending more time with them, adding that after leaving the country’s top job, he wanted to focus on being a better husband and father.
Starmer’s resignation comes less than two years after his landslide election victory, which had raised hopes of ending years of political instability in Britain. A source said he spent the weekend considering whether to step aside or fight a leadership challenge.
The pressure on Starmer had increased for months and intensified after Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, won a parliamentary election on Friday, defeating a candidate from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
The victory boosted hopes among Labour lawmakers that Burnham, known for his communication skills, could revive the party’s fortunes as Starmer’s popularity ratings declined.
However, a leadership change carries risks, with Burnham yet to clearly outline his positions on foreign policy, the economy and defence.
Like Starmer, he would face challenges including pressure from financial markets, high borrowing costs, rising debt and demands for greater public investment.
Economists at Citibank said a Burnham government would inherit a difficult financial situation with limited options for delivering major changes.
Until the weekend, Starmer had insisted he would fight any leadership challenge and remain prime minister. He had faced months of pressure following several scandals and high-profile resignations that affected his government and Labour Party.
Starmer’s resignation comes a day before the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum, which led to Britain’s exit from the European Union and a period of political upheaval with frequent changes in prime ministers.
Starmer has been credited with reshaping Labour into an election-winning party that secured a decisive victory in 2024, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.
However, his tenure was weakened by several controversies, including disputes over benefit cuts, defence spending plans and the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington.
He also faced challenges from the growing influence of Reform UK, the anti-immigration party that defeated Labour in local elections in May, further increasing pressure on his leadership.