Keir Starmer has announced his decision to resign as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the leader of the Labour Party.
Announcing his decision at 10 Downing Street, Starmer said he decided to resign as the Prime Minister because of the question his party is asking him.
Starmer said the question his party is asking is whether he is best placed to lead it into the next general election.
He added that he has “heard the answer” of his party to that question and “accepts that answer with good grace”.
Every decision he says he has taken has been about “putting the country I love first”.
“I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” he said.
Before he announced his resignation, Starmer said he inherited a Labour Party that was “politically, financially and morally bankrupt”.
He declared that he has been able to restore the economy of the UK and strengthen the chances of the Labour Party in the forthcoming election.
He stated: “We changed our party, ripping out the poison of anti-Semitism, restoring trust in the economy, defense, and national security, and becoming a party that once again stood proudly with, not against, our national flag. The hard work of change was with a singular purpose not power for power’s sake but to change Britain for the better to build a fairer country with dignity and respect where everyone is seen, everyone is valued, wealth and opportunity for all, not just the privileged few.
“And look at what we’ve achieved in just two years, a stronger economy, going faster than our peers, wages rising faster than inflation in every single month since we came to power, investment secured, infrastructure being built, an end to austerity with the fastest fall in NHS waiting lists for 17 years, the biggest improvement in rights for workers and renters in a generation, the biggest uplift in defense spending since the Cold War, small boat crossings falling, asylum hotels closing, protecting young people from social media, and half a million children being lifted out of poverty because of the choices that I made.
“Our reputation in the world restored with Britain once again standing up for decency, respect, and the rule of law, securing trade deals, standing with Ukraine, standing up for our values, and rebuilding our relationship with our allies in Europe.
“Change promised by a Labor government, change fought for by a Labor government, change delivered by a Labor government.”
Starmer further stated that he has asked the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party to set out a timetable with nominations opening for the leadership on 9 July, and completed by the summer recess.
This will mean a new leader is in place before parliament returns in September.
Until then he said he will remain in post as prime minister.
After the development that saw Starmer resign as the Prime Minister of the UK, many in Labour anticipate a “coronation”, which means Andy Burnham would be the only candidate.
Some influential figures in Burnham’s camp want him to take over around the time of the annual Labour conference in late September, believing this would give him more space to prepare for government and ensure he can hit the ground running if he becomes prime minister.
But other leading supporters of the former Greater Manchester mayor believe that timetable is far too slow, arguing that an interregnum of three months would grind government to a halt as speculation about what exactly Burnham’s plans for government could be built into a frenzy.
