LONDON – Britain will have its seventh leader in a decade from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who resigned less than two years after winning a landslide election victory that promised to end the country’s chaotic politics and reverse deep public dissatisfaction with the cost of living and other economic hardships.
Threats to Mr Starmer’s premiership have been mounting for months following his party’s crushing defeat in local elections in May. On June 22, Mr Starmer set out a timetable for his departure, which is likely to result in an orderly transfer of power this summer. The likely candidate to replace him is his Labor rival, Andy Burnham.
In a short speech in front of his office and residence at 10 Downing Street, Mr Starmer, who has struggled to deliver on campaign promises and clearly define his agenda, said he had “heard the answer” to the question of becoming Prime Minister and “will graciously accept that answer”.
Mr Starmer became emotional at the end of his speech, saying he was now focused on being the best husband and father he could be to his “amazing wife” and “beautiful children”.
British voters choose a party rather than a particular leader. This means Starmer’s centre-left Labor Party will remain in power until the next general election, scheduled for 2029. Senior ministers rebelled against Mr Starmer, fearing the vote could wipe out Labor for Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration British Reform Party. He has been leading national opinion polls for more than a year.
Mr Starmer said the appointment of a new leader would begin on July 9.
He will remain in his post until a new prime minister is appointed following an internal party election. Among the candidates to replace Starmer is former deputy prime minister Angela Rainer. Burnham most recently served as mayor of Manchester, Britain’s third largest city.
Mr Burnham, 56, served as Mayor of Manchester for the best part of a decade, winning praise for his success in attracting investment and improving public transport in the city, earning him the nickname ‘King of the North’. A victory for Mr Burnham is unlikely to result in any major changes to Britain’s domestic or international policy. Although he falls outside the same broad political framework as Starmer, he is seen as more left-wing than Starmer. He served as a cabinet minister under former Labor Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Mr Burnham has repeatedly said Britain needs fundamental change and lower costs of living. He has not yet made clear his approach to diplomacy and economics.
But Labor members are seen as more capable, optimistic and outspoken than Mr Starmer. Mr Starmer’s quiet, lawyer-like demeanor has consistently failed to connect with public sentiment.
“Keir has made a tremendous contribution to our country, and I would like to thank him for his leadership and dedication during these difficult times,” Burnham said in a statement.
President Trump and Britain’s new leader
Starmer’s political relationship with President Donald Trump is rocky, with the US president criticizing Starmer for refusing to join the US-Israel war against Iran. Mr Starmer also appears to have frowned upon Mr Trump’s comments about the NATO military alliance and the overall political direction of his administration. President Trump also accused Starmer of “failing badly on immigration and energy.”
It is unclear how the next leader of the Labor Party will approach building a relationship with President Trump.
Mr Starmer’s authority has eroded since Labor won a landslide victory in the July 2024 general election amid weak economic growth and perceived errors in the rollout of various social welfare policies.
Britain already has the highest borrowing costs of any G7 rich country due to high debt and interest payments. It has struggled to cut spending and invest in areas such as defense.
Reform UK, headed by Mr Trump’s ally Mr Farage, made significant gains in May’s local council elections, beating Labor and the Conservative Party. Mr Farage has promised to freeze non-essential immigration, cut taxes and cut government waste.
Mr Starmer had previously vowed to stand in the formal leadership contest of the Labor Party, which was sparked by rebel MPs seeking to replace him fearing a wipeout in the 2029 general election. But that appeared to change over the weekend, as a number of ministers urged Burnham to resign after he decisively returned to Westminster by defeating Farage’s Reform Britain candidate in the parliamentary election.
Analysts say Mr Burnham’s policies, like Mr Starmer’s, could be boxed in by bond market investors who oppose further borrowing. “We believe that Burnham’s appointment as chancellor will inherit a precarious fiscal position with few tools to effect meaningful change,” economists at Citibank wrote in a June 19 note to investors. The pound fell against major currencies as speculation mounted that Mr Starmer would set a date for his departure.
Britain’s revolving door of prime ministers affects both Labor and the Conservative Party, and accelerated in the wake of the 2016 Brexit vote to leave the European Union (EU) economic area. The vote was a turning point in British politics, and the political instability and economic turmoil it caused are still being felt a decade later.
