Newspaper headlines: 'Starmer expected to announce exit' ...
BBC News·2026-06-22·via BBC News
Sir Keir Starmer dominates the front pages of Monday's front pages, with the prime minister weighing up his political future. With pressure growing on him to announce his resignation, the Guardian reports that Sir Keir is expected to announce a timetable for his departure this morning.
It's "game over" for Sir Keir, reports the Mirror, which says the prime minister is expected to set out an exit timetable after former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham swept back to Westminster with his by-election victory last week.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Burnham plans to become prime minister by September, with both Sir Keir and his political rival "said to favour a delay over the summer to allow an orderly handover of the keys to No 10". In other news, the paper reports that France has banned alcohol at festivals across the country amid temperatures of up to 41C (106F) during a record heatwave.
Donald Trump has weighed into the drama at No 10, with the Independent reporting that the US president said in a social media post that the prime minister "will resign". "I wish him well," Trump is quoted as saying.
The Sun references the US president's intervention in its headline: "Don and dusted." It reports that Sir Keir will announce his departure plans as early as Monday "after concluding with allies and wife Victoria that he has no realistic chance of political survival".
Burnham is seeking a "coronation" as he hopes to become Britain's next prime minister in time for the Labour Party conference, according to the Times. Burnham, who will be sworn in as the Labour MP for Makerfield on Monday afternoon, wants to use the party's conference at the end of September as a springboard, the paper reports.
With Sir Keir "poised to quit", senior Tory Sir Mel Stride warns that Burnham will unleash "reckless" tax hikes and welfare spending if he becomes prime minister, the Daily Express reports. It also marks the Prince of Wales' 44th birthday and Father's Day with a picture of the prince and his daughter Princess Charlotte with the caption "best papa in the world".
The Financial Times reports that Sir Keir's allies say he is on the brink of resigning - paving the way for Burnham to become Britain's seventh leader in a decade since Brexit. It says the prime minister is expected to agree to an "orderly" transition amid a "growing cabinet revolt".
Allies of leadership rival Burnham will tell Sir Keir to go if he has not set out a timetable for his departure by Monday night, the i Paper reports. It says Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is among those who have urged Sir Keir to lay out an exit timetable.
Sir Keir is described as a "dead man walking" by the Daily Mail, which reports that Burnham is being urged to tear up Labour's tax pledges to fund his spending plans. Labour's manifesto tax promises include not raising income tax, National Insurance or VAT.
Away from politics, the Daily Star's front page focuses on the World Cup in the US. John Ratzenberger, who played Cliff Clavin in Boston-based sitcom Cheers, is welcoming England to the US city - and tips them to win the tournament, the paper says. England will play against Ghana in Boston on Tuesday.
