Starmer said he would remain prime minister until Labour selects a new leader later this summer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday he would resign as leader of the Labour Party, bowing to growing pressure from within his own party to step down and opening the door to a leadership contest to replace him.
“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us 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,” Starmer told reporters on June 22 in London.
Starmer said he will remain prime minister until a successor is chosen and pledged an orderly transfer of power, as Britain prepares for its seventh leader in a decade.
“I will also give my successor my full and unequivocal support, knowing that they will inherit a Britain that is far stronger and fairer than the one I inherited two years ago, better prepared for the challenges ahead, and better able to ensure the Labour Party secures a second term in office,” he said.
Starmer said the party’s National Executive Committee will open nominations on July 9 and complete any leadership contest before Parliament’s summer recess, ensuring a new leader is in place before lawmakers return in September.
Seventh Leader Since Brexit
The resignation marks a dramatic fall for a leader who swept Labour to a landslide election victory less than two years ago, paving the way for the UK’s seventh leader since the it voted to leave the European Union.
There may not be a leadership contest, with intense focus now on Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor whose return to Parliament piled pressure on Starmer amid Labour’s declining poll numbers and growing concern among lawmakers about the party’s electoral prospects.
Starmer’s resignation came in the morning, with Burnham heading to London to be sworn into Parliament as the newly elected MP for Makerfield in the afternoon.
Burnham confirmed on social media, following the prime minister’s announcement, that he will put himself forward as leader.
“Keir has given huge service to our country and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period,” Burnham said.
“His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.”
“The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get. As we move forward, our priority must be to work together to get the country back to where we all want it to be,” he added.
