Sir Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the Labour Party, following mounting pressure within his party over his leadership ahead of the next general election.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street on Monday, June 22, 2026, Starmer said he had accepted the position of his parliamentary party after months of internal debate about his suitability to continue leading Labour.
“I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question. And I accept that answer with good grace,” he said.
He noted that all decisions taken during his time in office had been guided by what he described as a duty to the country.
“Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first,” he stated.
Starmer confirmed that he had informed King Charles III of his decision to step down and would initiate the formal process for selecting a new Labour Party leader.
“I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision,” he said.
He added that the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee would set out a timetable for the leadership contest, with nominations expected to open on July 9 and conclude before Parliament’s summer recess.
His resignation comes less than two years after he led Labour to a decisive election victory that ended 14 years of Conservative rule in the United Kingdom.
However, his tenure had recently come under increasing scrutiny, with reports of internal disagreements within the Labour Party and growing concerns among some MPs about the party’s direction and electoral prospects.
Party leadership sources are expected to begin consultations on a succession process in the coming days.
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Source: BBC.com
