Keir Starmer Resigns As Prime Minister

Keir Starmer has resigned as the UK’s prime minister following Andy Burnham’s decisive victory in the Makerfield byelection. 

In a statement outside Downing Street, Starmer said: “Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country first. That’s why I have resigned as leader of the Labour party.”

While Starmer was until recently arguing that a change of leadership would “plunge the country into chaos” and said he would stay to fight any leadership challenge, the language around his future changed late last week. 

Starmer spent the weekend discussing his political future with his family at Chequers. 

Burnham is widely seen as the frontrunner in the upcoming Labour leadership contest. A new leader is expected to be in place before parliament returns from summer recess in September. 

Under Starmer, Labour suffered a devastating set of May local election results, losing control of 38 councils and emerging with 1,498 fewer councillors in England, while Reform gained control of 14 councils and the Greens won five. 

In Wales, Labour was wiped out after over a century of political dominance, securing only nine out of 96 Senedd seats. Plaid Cymru took control with the most seats but fell short of an overall majority. 

With record-low personal approval ratings – 74% of UK adults said they thought he was doing “badly” as PM in June – Starmer is considered the most unpopular prime minister in British history. 

Starmer entered Downing Street in the summer of 2024 after Labour won a landslide general election victory, but his government’s record has been marred by constant U-turns, including on scrapping the winter fuel allowance for pensioners and welfare reform, and scandals over the appointment of Jeffrey Epstein’s close personal friend Peter Mandelson to the most senior diplomatic post in the country.

Starmer also oversaw one of the worst crackdowns on civil rights in living memory, with his government’s decision to proscribe direct action group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. More than 3,400 peaceful anti-genocide protesters have been arrested in the wake of the ban.