Keir Starmer's resignation on Monday morning paves the way for yet another leadership battle, and the continuation of a political crisis which has engulfed the country since Brexit.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer has resigned from office less than two years after leading the Labour party to a landslide general election victory.
Starmer’s popularity has tanked since the start of his premiership as Britons have faced tax hikes, spending cuts, and struggled to see the promised improvements to creaking public services. May’s local elections confirmed the challenge Labour faces in keeping the British electorate onside, after the party lost nearly 1,500 councillors across the country, losing control of 38 councils. Many were snapped up by Nigel Farage’s challenger party Reform UK.
“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election,” Starmer said on Monday morning outside his official residence on Downing Street in London. “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.” A general election is not due in the UK until 2029.
Since the Brexit referendum in 2016, Britain has seen an unprecedented turnover of leaders, beginning with David Cameron’s resignation after the Brexit vote, Theresa May in 2019 after failing to secure support for her Brexit deal, Boris Johnson amid a wave of ministerial resignations and scandals, Liz Truss after the market turmoil triggered by her mini-budget, and Rishi Sunak following Labour’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election.
Pressure on Starmer reached a critical point on Friday after former Labour Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham won a seat in parliament through a by-election in North West England. That enables Burnham, who is popular within his party, to run for party leadership, and with enough support even to challenge Starmer’s premiership had he not resigned.
Starmer will remain prime minister until the governing Labour party elects a new leader, which he said would be before parliament resumes in September.
Labour’s victory in the July 2024 general election put an end to 14 years of Conservative rule, which had seen five different prime ministers. At the time, Starmer criticised the chaos caused by the party’s inconsistency.
More to follow as this story develops.