Prime Minister Keir Starmer Resigns as Britain Prepares For Its Seventh Leader in 10 Years

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Olivia-Anne Cleary

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Cleary is an editor at TIME, based in the London bureau.

Updated: Jun 22, 2026 2:54 PM CUT

Published: Jun 22, 2026 7:04 AM CUT

Olivia-Anne Cleary

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Olivia-Anne Cleary

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Cleary is an editor at TIME, based in the London bureau.

Updated: Jun 22, 2026 2:54 PM CUT

Published: Jun 22, 2026 7:04 AM CUT

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation Monday morning, following a weekend of speculation over his political future in the aftermath of Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election.

“I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision,” said Starmer in a televised statement outside Downing Street. 

Starmer said he will ask the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party to set out a timetable with nominations for leadership to open on July 9 and be completed by the summer recess, July 16.

In the case of a contest, this process will ensure a new leader is in place before parliament returns in September. Starmer will remain in post as Prime Minister until the contest is complete.

Burnham, the former Greater Manchester Mayor who on Monday was sworn in as a new Member of Parliament, has confirmed he will run for leadership.

Starmer's resignation "marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process," said Burnham, welcoming the opportunity for "renewal."

Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who last week claimed he had the ⁠backing of the 81 Labour lawmakers needed to trigger a leadership challenge, surprised many by announcing his intent to support Burnham.

The lawmaker who resigned from Starmer's government in May, said: "We were elected [to] change our country, to show that politics can be a force for good... with Andy, we still can."

As such, Burnham—who first tried to become leader of the Labour Party 16 years ago—could be Prime Minister in a matter of weeks, if his run remains unchallenged.

Whoever replaces Starmer will be inheriting the keys to Downing Street and a fractured political system, becoming Britain's seventh Prime Minister in 10 years.

"Six years ago, I inherited a Labour Party that was politically, financially, and morally bankrupt," said Starmer, insisting his successor will inherit "a Britain that is far stronger and fairer" than the one he did.

Starmer has promised to do “everything” he can to ensure “an orderly handover of power” and vowed to give his successor his full, unequivocal support.

The Prime Minister was applauded by Labour lawmakers on the sidelines of Downing Street after he delivered his speech, with his wife Victoria Starmer also standing close by in support.

Starmer said his decision to step down came after he spoke to ministers about whether they thought he was the best person to lead Labour into the next general election.

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“I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question,” he said. “And I accept that answer with good grace.”

He framed his resignation as another example of him prioritizing the country's needs, saying: "Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first."

The Labour leader’s announcement stood in stark contrast to the remarks he made following Burnham’s win on Friday.

In the initial aftermath, he had vowed to stand and fight in any leadership contest, stating: “I’m not going to walk away from that.”

But the narrative shifted over the weekend, with reports suggesting he was set to step down.

On BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Business Secretary Peter Kyle strayed from Starmer’s vow to stay on and fight. Instead, he said the Labour leader was taking time to “try and reflect on the political challenges that he faces.”

Starmer was "taking the time to think through what the political realities are today, compared to last week, the week before,” said Kyle, insisting that the Labour leader would frame his decision based on what’s in the “best interests of the country.”

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Kyle acknowledged there was “political uncertainty” and lessons for Labour to learn.

Hours after the Business Secretary’s remarks, U.S. President Donald Trump said: “Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.”

He claimed the British leader had “failed badly on two very important subjects—immigration and energy,” doubling down on his long-argued stance that the U.K. should expand its drilling in the North Sea. “I wish him well,” he signed off the message.

Although the two once shared a strong alliance, the relationship between Trump and Starmer has become increasingly splintered amid the fallout of the Iran war.

Read More: How the Iran War Is Splintering U.K.-U.S Relations as Trump Turns on Starmer

How Starmer lost the confidence of the Labour Party

The Mandelson problem

Starmer’s vulnerability in the party he led to victory in the July 2024 general election has been brewing for months.

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Earlier this year, he faced tough questioning over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the U.S., after newly-released government files showed he was warned of the “reputational risks” over Mandelson’s ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

It was later revealed that Mandelson had failed the security vetting in January 2025, only for his appointment as ambassador to go ahead the following month anyway on account of the Foreign Office overruling the decision.

Starmer denied having prior knowledge of the initial failed vetting process, telling parliament in April that “a deliberate decision was taken to withhold that material” from him.

He said that the correct vetting procedures had been followed and that a review of the process took place in September 2025, after Mandelson was sacked seven months into his role when files released by the U.S. Department of Justice showed he had shared a closer than previously disclosed relationship with Epstein.

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But Starmer’s explanation of the appointment did little to abate calls for him to resign, with even one of his Labour peers joining the chorus.

“He cannot conceivably continue as a credible Prime Minister any longer,” Lord Maurice Glasman declared in April.

Labour's poor performance in local elections

Labour severely underperformed in the local elections in May, losing nearly 1,500 council seats. By contrast, the Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, a supporter and ally of President Donald Trump, made significant gains.

In the aftermath of the results—which indicated a sharp decline from Labour's landslide victory in 2024—dozens of lawmakers called for Starmer to resign and set out a timeline for his departure.

Several ministers from Starmer’s government have stepped down in recent weeks, with some citing a lack of confidence in his ability to lead.

The top two defense officials in the U.K. resigned on June 11, accusing Starmer of failing to invest enough money into the country’s Defense Investment Plan (DIP).

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Their departures followed the likes of Streeting, who said it was “clear that [Starmer] will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election," and Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, who told Starmer that "deeds, not words, are what matter."

Burnham, during his by-election victory speech on Friday, said “everyone knows that politics isn’t working” and suggested his win could be a “turning point.”

He referred to the moment as “a final chance to change” for the Labour Party and advocated for the building of “a new politics based on unity and hope."