British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday announced his resignation after less than two years in office, bowing to mounting political pressure following a turbulent period marked by policy reversals and declining public support.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, an emotional Starmer said he would step down as leader of the Labour Party but remain prime minister until a successor is elected.
“Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” he said.
The Labour Party will begin the process of selecting a new leader in July, with a replacement expected to be in place before Parliament returns from its summer recess in September.
Starmer had repeatedly resisted calls to quit despite months of criticism, internal dissent and a series of setbacks that weakened his grip on power.
His departure comes almost two years after leading Labour to a decisive election victory that ended 14 years of Conservative rule.
However, his government later faced growing criticism over welfare reforms, defence spending plans and a string of political controversies, including the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.
Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is widely seen as the frontrunner to succeed Starmer after securing a return to Parliament through a recent by-election.
“I will remain in post as prime minister until the contest is complete, and I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power,” Starmer said.
He also pledged his full support to his successor, saying they would inherit “a Britain that is far stronger and fairer” than the one he took over.
Starmer’s resignation will usher in Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade, extending a period of political instability that began after the 2016 Brexit referendum.
