British Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally announced on Monday that he is resigning from office. In a statement to the press, he said he had entered Downing Street two years ago as part of a new Labour government and had aimed to improve people’s lives and govern fairly, not simply hold power for its own sake.
Starmer said the question was no longer who should lead Labour in government, but whether he was the right person to lead the party into an election. “I heard their answer clearly, and I accept it with respect,” he said. “Every decision I made was for the good of the country, and as a result I will resign from my post.” He added that he had already spoken with King Charles about the matter.
He said the process to choose his replacement as Labour leader would begin on July 9, with the goal of finishing the primary contest before Parliament returns in September. Starmer also said he would support whoever is elected “without any opposition.”
Starmer led Labour to victory in the 2024 election, returning the party to power after 14 years in opposition. But his support has since weakened amid a series of crises and policy changes. Pressure intensified in February after he admitted appointing former minister Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States despite knowing about his close ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The threat to Starmer’s position peaked on Friday, when his political rival, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, won a seat in Parliament, potentially allowing him to run for Labour leader and force a challenge to the sitting prime minister.
