Britain to get seventh Prime Minister in a decade as Keir Starmer resigns
Keir Starmer
Britain is set to have its seventh prime minister in just 10 years after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation, less than two years after leading the Labour Party to a landslide election victory that promised to restore political stability and tackle the country’s worsening cost-of-living crisis.
Pressure on Starmer had been mounting for months following Labour’s disappointing performance in the May local elections. On June 22, he confirmed his decision to step down, setting out a timetable for what is expected to be an orderly leadership transition later this summer.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, Starmer said he had “heard the answer” to the question surrounding his leadership and accepted the outcome “with good grace.”
The outgoing prime minister became emotional as he concluded his remarks, saying he would now focus on being the best husband and father to his “fantastic wife” and “beautiful children.”
Under Britain’s parliamentary system, voters elect political parties rather than prime ministers directly. As a result, the Labour Party will remain in government until the next general election, which is expected in 2029.
Senior members of Starmer’s cabinet reportedly turned against him amid growing fears that Labour could suffer a heavy defeat in the next election to Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party, which has led national opinion polls for more than a year.
Andy Burnham, the 56-year-old Mayor of Greater Manchester, is widely regarded as the frontrunner to succeed Starmer. Burnham has earned praise for attracting investment to Manchester and improving the city’s public transport network, earning him the nickname “King of the North.”
If elected Labour leader, Burnham is not expected to make major changes to Britain’s domestic or foreign policy. However, he is generally considered to be more left-leaning than Starmer. He previously served in several cabinet positions under former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
