Keir Starmer resigns as UK prime minister but will stay on until a successor is chosen

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces the timeline for his resignation, following Andy Burnham's decisive victory last week in the Makerfield by-election, outside 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, on Monday.

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party.Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until a new Labour leader is chosen in the next few weeks.Starmer made the announcement after facing growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government's flagging fortunes He has been in office since leading Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024. In those two years, his popularity and that of the party have plummeted.His departure was triggered by the victory of Andy Burnham in a special election last week. The popular ex-mayor of Greater Manchester planned to challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership.Published on June 22, 2026