By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday after less than two years in office, bowing to mounting pressure from within the Labour Party following local election losses and declining public support.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, Starmer said every decision he has taken has been about putting the country first. He added that he would step down as Labour leader but remain prime minister until a successor is chosen.
Starmer said the question his party was asking was whether he was best placed to lead Labour into the next general election. “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace,” he stated. 3874
His resignation follows months of pressure after Labour’s sharp decline in popularity since its July 2024 landslide victory. The party lost roughly 1,500 council seats and control of more than 25 councils in local elections last month, with Reform UK and the Greens making major gains.
Over 95 Labour MPs had called on him to resign or set a timetable for departure, and several ministers resigned in protest. Voters and party insiders viewed him as lacking conviction and direction, with no clear narrative for his government. b0aa4de5
Starmer will ask Labour’s National Executive Committee to set out a timetable for the leadership race. Nominations open July 9, with a new leader expected by September. Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is the frontrunner to replace him.
