Keir Starmer announced his resignation as UK prime minister on Monday, following mounting pressure from his own Labour Party. The move sets the stage for a leadership contest, with his main rival, Andy Burnham, expected to be the frontrunner.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street in London, Starmer said he accepted the verdict of his parliamentary party. "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 and I accept that answer with good grace," he told reporters.
Starmer's resignation comes less than two years after he led Labour to a sweeping general election victory, but his popularity has waned amid policy missteps and scandals. The decisive blow came after Burnham's by-election win in North West England, which emboldened Labour MPs to demand a change in leadership.
Burnham, 56, quickly signaled his intention to run, receiving support from former health minister Wes Streeting. Starmer has asked Labour's National Executive Committee to set out the succession process, with nominations opening on 9 July.
In his statement, Starmer defended his record, citing economic growth, rising wages, investment in infrastructure, improvements to the National Health Service (NHS), and stronger workers' rights. "An economy that is stronger, going faster than our peers, wages rising faster than inflation in every single month since we came to power," he said.
Labour MP Afzal Khan welcomed Starmer's decision, saying he could leave with a "proud legacy." Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also praised him for bringing the party "from the brink, back to power."
However, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn criticized Starmer's tenure. "Keir Starmer could have ended child poverty, homelessness and the grotesque levels of inequality in this country. Instead, he abandoned those in need, destroyed our civil liberties and facilitated genocide in Gaza," Corbyn said.
Al Jazeera's Jonah Hull reported that Starmer appeared deeply emotional during his statement, particularly when speaking about his family. "He spoke of his wife, Vic, and moving on from this job to the more important one of being with his family, his voice very audibly breaking," Hull said.
Starmer will remain in a caretaker role until a successor is chosen. He indicated he would stay as prime minister throughout the contest and give his successor his full backing.
Burnham is expected in Westminster later on Monday to be sworn in as the new MP for Makerfield, the seat he won in last week's by-election. That victory has given hope to Labour lawmakers that Burnham, known for his communication skills, could revive the party's fortunes.
Starmer won the largest parliamentary majority for Labour since 1997 in 2024, ending 14 years of Conservative-led government. But opinion polls have shown the 63-year-old former lawyer is deeply unpopular with voters following a series of policy missteps and scandals.