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British PM Keir Starmer resigns, opening path for leadership contest
Keir Starmer resigns as British Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party after accepting that he had lost the party of his party to lead the country into the next general election.
By Susy Hodges – London
Keir Starmer is widely expected to be replaced in the role of British Prime Minister by Andy Burnham, the charismatic former mayor of Greater Manchester, who has confirmed he will run to replace Starmer in the top job.
His resignation means that Britain will be preparing for its 7th prime minister in 10 years. That level of turnover is the highest in Britain in nearly two centuries.
It underlines the struggle by political leaders to maintain the support of voters angry at successive failures to improve living standards, public services and tackle illegal immigration.
In a resignation statement outside his official London residence, Starmer said he would ask the Labour Party’s organising committee to set out a timeline for a leadership contest to find his replacement.
Nominations would open on July 9 and close by mid-July. Starmer pledged to do everything he can to ensure an orderly handover of power and give his successor his full support.
It’s all but certain that successor will be Andy Burnham, the popular former mayor of Greater Manchester.
Following the prime minister’s resignation, Burnham confirmed that he will stand as a candidate to replace Starmer.
Another possible candidate, the former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, said shortly afterwards that he would back Burnham’s leadership bid.
Starmer’s resignation had been widely expected after support for him in the Labour Party had drained away and had accelerated in the wake of the party’s disastrous showing in local elections in early May.
The threat to Starmer increased sharply last Friday when Burnham won a larger than expected victory in a by-election in Makerfield, ensuring his return to parliament.
Burnham defeated a candidate from Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, which has been leading opinion polls for more than a year.
That victory gave hope to Labour members of parliament that Burnham could transform the fortunes of a party that has lost so much support under Starmer less than two years after wining a landslide victory in general elections.
For his part, Burnham has pledged to give Britain, stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most.
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