Newspaper headlines: 'Keir's tears... Andy's crown' and 'Messiah without a mandate'
BBC News·2026-06-23·via BBC News
All the front pages report on Sir Keir Starmer's resignation, paving the way for what some call a "coronation" of Labour MP Andy Burnham as prime minister. "Keir's tears... Andy's crown" is the Metro's take. "Days after vowing to fight any challenger, Sir Keir made an emotional speech outside No. 10, thanking his wife and saying he now aimed 'to be the best dad I can to my beautiful children'," the paper writes.
Sir Keir, depicted with his head tilted down, standing at the podium delivering his resignation speech in front of a blurred-out No 10 door, features on the front page of the Guardian with the caption "Starmer bows out... as Burnham swoops in". The prime minister "announced a timetable for his departure after months of growing discontent among Labour MPs and cabinet ministers", the paper says.
Reflecting on Sir Keir's time as a "decent man" who "tried his very best in an almost impossible job", the Daily Mirror writes that he "stood up to Trump, lifted half a million kids out of poverty, protected workers and renters". It adds "the failures were glaring... and magnified in our angry, divided world".
Describing Sir Keir's resignation speech outside the No 10 as "emotional", leaving the prime minister on the "verge of tears", the Daily Telegraph writes that he accepted "with 'good grace' the calls from ministers and Labour MPs for him to step down". A scorching heatwave sweeping across the UK earns a mention on a politics-heavy news day. "Schools closed amid heatwave power alert" is the headline, reporting warnings from grid operators that "a prolonged spell of hot weather could trigger blackouts as wildfires damage power lines".
"As tearful Starmer departs, his assassin arrives in Westminster" is the Daily Mail's lead story, suggesting that Burnham is a "messiah without a mandate" based on an opinion poll of its readers. "The self-styled 'King of the North' is on course for a 'coronation' next month," the paper says, featuring a photo of Burnham "on his way to London to be sworn in as MP for Makerfield" after winning the seat at a by-election last week.
Burnham's selfie with 200 Labour MPs at Westminster fills the front page of the i Paper, under the headline "prime minister in three weeks: Burnham arrives for coronation". Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting "abandons own leadership push after secret weekend talks with Burnham", the paper reports, meaning Burnham could be "unchallenged" in a Labour leadership contest.
"Starmer's exit clears way for Burnham", the Financial Times reports, with Labour leadership nominations closing on 16 July. The paper explains that "if there is no contest" there would instead be a "coronation" for Burnham, who is the only MP so far to have declared they will run to become leader of the Labour Party.
Leading with Burnham's viral selfie, the Times says the newly elected MP "will use a speech next week to pledge to expand the economy and commit himself to Labour's fiscal rules" as he prepares to become "Britain's seventh prime minister in the space of a decade". While the other leadership "rival" Wes Streeting has bowed out of a contest, the paper reports that the chief secretary to the prime minister, Darren Jones, "is considering standing for the leadership to tigger a contest even if he has no chance of winning".
"He think it's all over" writes the Sun in its headline plastered over the Burnham selfie, saying Andy Burnham "could become Prime Minister on the eve of the World Cup final".
"Regime change" is the Independent's headline under a composite image of Sir Keir and Burnham, visually depicting a transfer of power. The paper also features comment from Labour minister Mike Tapp who says "it's time for a general election".
"Now put yer money where yer mouth is," the Daily Star writes over Burnham's "Hollywood-style selfie", adding: "King of the North and South".
While the Daily Express notes "Starmer finally falls on his sword" and says "Britain faces a lurch to the left under Burnham", it is the sole paper to lead with the 10-year anniversary of the UK's referendum to leave the European Union. The paper launches its campaign urging politicians to "give us a proper Brexit" and "deliver the will of the people" a decade on.
