Former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has decided to step down as a member of parliament. He made the announcement on Tuesday, just six weeks after resigning as prime minister when he lost the backing of his Labour Party.
Starmer led Labour to a sweeping victory in the 2024 general election, securing one of the largest majorities in modern British history. His rise was remarkable. He had taken over as party leader four years earlier after Labour’s worst election result since 1935. As a former lawyer, he rebuilt the party and returned it to power.
However, his time as prime minister was marked by several high profile policy U turns. He struggled to connect with voters and gradually lost support from both the public and members of his own party. Starmer had earlier said he would stay on as a lawmaker until the next general election. He has now changed his mind.
In an interview with the Camden New Journal, the local newspaper covering his North London constituency, Starmer said he wants to concentrate on international affairs. He later confirmed his resignation in a statement on X.
Despite falling popularity at home that cost him the top job, foreign policy was widely seen as one of the stronger parts of his premiership. He worked closely with French President Emmanuel Macron to create the Coalition of the Willing in support of Ukraine. He also reset relations with China, recognised a Palestinian state, and tried to build ties with US President Donald Trump, with mixed results.
No exact date has been set for a by election in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency. Starmer held the seat comfortably in 2024 with a majority of just over 11,500 votes. An independent candidate focused on opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza took nearly 19 percent of the vote at that time.
Starmer was replaced as prime minister in July by Andy Burnham, who became Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade. Burnham’s arrival has given Labour a boost in the polls, though he faces a tougher test when parliament returns later on Tuesday.
With this move, Keir Starmer quits the House of Commons and turns his attention fully to the international stage after a turbulent period in British politics.
