22 June 2026 – Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the Labour Party.
In a dramatic speech outside Downing Street 10, Starmer said that his parliamentary party no longer supports him as leader ahead of the next election. The decision ends a months-long crisis in the Labour Party, marked by internal revolts, poor poll ratings and local election defeats.
What led to the resignation?
Starmer took office after Labour’s landslide victory in July 2024 (a majority of 174 seats). However, his government quickly faced serious problems:
- Rising energy prices
- High net immigration
- Internal conflicts within the party
- Poor results in local elections and by-elections
In recent weeks, pressure for his resignation grew. An increasing number of Labour MPs called for a change of leader, and the frontrunner to replace Starmer became Andy Burnham, former mayor of Greater Manchester, who had just won a by-election.
Starmer announced an orderly transfer of power. The election for the new Labour leader is due to begin on 9 July, and the new party leader is to be chosen by September.
Reactions
Starmer’s decision was met with relief by some Labour members, but also with criticism from the right. Donald Trump commented on the matter on Truth Social, writing that Starmer “failed badly”.
The UK now has its seventh prime minister in the last 10 years, which underlines the instability of the British political scene.
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