Keir Starmer announced Monday that he will step down as UK prime minister and Labour Party leader, launching a leadership race that could determine Britain’s next head of government before Parliament returns in September.
During his June 22 statement outside 10 Downing Street, Starmer said he no longer believed he was the person best placed to take Labour into the next general election. He said he had informed King Charles III of his decision and would remain in office while the party chooses his successor.
Starmer says labour must look to Its next chapter
In an emotional address, Starmer looked back on the state of the Labour Party when he became its leader, saying many people had dismissed it as politically finished and incapable of winning a general election majority.
He said Labour proved them wrong by changing the party and returning it to government. Starmer pointed to his efforts to confront antisemitism, restore trust in Labour’s handling of the economy, strengthen the party’s position on defense and national security, and make it once again a party that could stand confidently with the country.
The prime minister said the central question now was whether he remained the right person to lead Labour into the next election. He said he had heard the party’s answer and accepted it in good faith.
Starmer also defended his record in office, saying every major decision he had made reflected what he believed served the national interest.
A resignation framed around country and party
Starmer said Labour’s rebuilding project was never about power for its own sake. Instead, he described it as an effort to create a fairer Britain, rooted in dignity, respect and opportunity.
He said his political mission had focused on building a country where people feel recognized and valued, and where wealth and opportunity do not belong only to a privileged few.
Toward the end of his statement, Starmer became visibly moved as he spoke about his wife and children. He said that after leaving what he described as the most important job of his life, he wanted to be the best husband he could be to his wife, whom he called his rock, and the best father he could be to his children.
Starmer to step down as UK prime minister as Labour contest begins July 9
Starmer said he had asked Labour’s National Executive Committee to set the timetable for the leadership contest.
Labour will open nominations on July 9 and close them before Parliament’s summer recess on July 16. If more than one candidate enters the race, the party expects to complete the process before Parliament resumes in September.
Starmer said he would stay on as prime minister until Labour completes the contest, in order to ensure an orderly transfer of power. He added that he would give his successor his full support.
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