Starmer announces his resignation as Burnham arrives to become prime minister

Andy Burnham is expected to become Britain’s prime minister in just 25 days after Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation in an emotional statement at Downing Street on Monday.

Less than two years since Labour’s historic landslide election victory, Sir Keir said he accepted he had lost the support of MPs and promised to resign “with good grace”.

He said candidates for his replacement would be received on July 9, paving the way for a possible contest; but the former Greater Manchester mayor’s “coronation” was all but confirmed when his main rival Wes Streeting backed him to lead the party, making it all but certain that Mr Burnham will be the sole candidate when nominations close on July 16.

Some Labor MPs have tried to persuade Sir Keir’s principal secretary, Darren Jones, to stand as a candidate in a bid to force a contest, but one source said this outcome was “unlikely”.

Mr Burnham was greeted with loud cheers from Labor Party seats in the House of Commons as he was finally sworn in as an MP following his by-election victory in Makerfield last week. The train journey from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston was followed live on news channels.

One MP jokingly commented on his signing: “He’s not the messiah!” Acknowledging the reference to Monty Python Brian’s LifeMr Burnham replied: “Naughty boy.”

Labor MPs – except Sir Keir – later joined him at Westminster Hall for a photo with the man they expect to be their next leader; one of them sarcastically described the day’s events as “regime change”.

Mr Burnham must assemble his senior team and confirm his policy priorities by July 17, when nominations officially close for candidates.

Sir Keir will remain in office until his successor is appointed. He said he would ask Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) to draw up a timetable for the new leader to be in office when parliament returns from summer recess on September 1.

However, with nominations ending on July 16, the appointment of a new leader may occur much earlier. Potential candidates must garner the support of at least 81 Labor MPs by then. But if Mr Burnham is the only candidate who has garnered enough support by this point, he will become leader without a member’s vote and will likely become prime minister on July 17 or 18.

Sir Keir announced his resignation after a weekend at Checkers, meeting with his closest political allies, friends and family, gave up fighting to save his job.

Flanked by Lady Victoria and his closest aides gathered behind him, he said he had “saved the Labor Party” and achieved a string of successes in government, but conceded he could no longer lead the party because he had lost the support of his MPs.

He said his party had asked “whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election”, adding: “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.”

He promised his successor his “full and unequivocal support, knowing that they will inherit a Britain that is much stronger and fairer than the one I inherited two years ago”.

His voice cracking with emotion, he added: “When I leave the biggest job in the country, I will spend more time on the job that matters most: being the best husband I can to my wonderful wife, Vic, who has been there for me through good times and bad, and being the best father I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and joy.”

The resignation follows Mr Burnham’s dramatic victory in the Makerfield by-election; This result was seen by many Labor insiders as evidence that the former Greater Manchester mayor was able to deliver Labour’s message and defeat Reform England in a way Sir Keir could not.

The dramatic fall of Sir Keir, who had promised a new era of stability “after the Tory chaos”, came after his personal ratings plummeted amid concerns about the government’s conduct, including the Mandelson scandal and welfare and defense spending.

With at least a dozen resets, one major reshuffle, at least 13 U-turns and the sacking of some staff in his inner circle, Sir Keir has never been able to come to the fore with his government.

This is a remarkable fall for a man who brought Labor back from 14 years in the wilderness with a huge majority of over 170 in July 2024.

Sir Keir has spent his 23 months in power largely under siege. His government never had a honeymoon period and faced riots a summer after the Southport murders, then faced a huge backlash over the government’s highly unpopular initiatives to cut winter fuel payments to pensioners as well as benefit cuts to the disabled.

Months of plots to replace him followed, but what has dogged the prime minister for months was the saga surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson, a key figure in both the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown governments.

This raised questions about Sir Keir’s integrity and judgment of character; These questions were raised when new revelations about Lord Mandelson’s close ties to Epstein were made public.

Sir Keir’s decision to resign means Britain will have its seventh prime minister in a decade.

UK Reform Leader Nigel Farage called for a snap general election: “If Labor thinks it can push another professional politician into 10th place, we’re on to something else.”