British Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigns: “Country first”

Bang in London

Keir Starmer announces resignation

In recent months, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been under a lot of political pressure. Now the Labor politician is drawing the consequences.

The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his resignation. The 63-year-old said in a speech in front of the government headquarters at 10 Downing Street that he was giving up his position as head of the Labor Party. Starmer continued that he would remain in office as head of government until a successor was elected.

Starmer is bowing to the pressure from his party that has been increasing for weeks. With Andy Burnham, a potential successor is already in the starting blocks. The 56-year-old would reportedly have forced Starmer into a leadership election had the prime minister come to a different decision.

“Every decision I’ve made has been about putting the country I love first,” Starmer said. His party has spoken and he wants to listen to it: “For this reason, I will resign as leader of the Labor Party.” He would now take time for his family, Starmer said in a shaky voice and shortly afterwards hugged his wife Victoria, who had come with him to 10 Downing Street.

A few days ago, Burnham won a parliamentary seat by winning the by-election in the Makerfield district – the prerequisite for being able to challenge the Prime Minister. It is still unclear whether another candidate to succeed Starmer at the Labor leadership will dare to emerge. Wes Streeting, who resigned as Health Minister, recently showed ambitions. However, he is expected to line up behind Burnham and be rewarded with a cabinet post.

Starmer has been going through a serious crisis for months due to miserable poll numbers. He has been under massive pressure in his group for a long time, and recently more and more cabinet members have turned their backs on him. Several ministers resigned. The trigger for the latest escalation was a heavy defeat for Labor in the local and regional elections in England, Scotland and Wales in May in favor of the right-wing populists Reform UK.

Immediately after the election defeat, Starmer was asked to resign by a number of MPs – but the Prime Minister held on to office for a long time, citing his 2024 election victory. Shortly before and after the Makerfield election, Starmer was still combative and announced that he would definitely stand for a leadership election. Over the weekend at Checkers, the British Prime Minister’s official country residence, Starmer changed his mind.