Staff Reporter
BRITISH Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that he will resign as leader of the Labour Party and step down as prime minister once a successor is chosen, paving the way for Andy Burnham to emerge as the frontrunner to lead the government.
Starmer said he would remain in office until a new Labour leader is selected, ensuring what he described as an orderly transition of power. His resignation comes less than two years after he led Labour to a landslide election victory that ended years of Conservative rule.
In an emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street on Monday, Starmer said he had accepted that he was no longer the right person to lead Labour into the next general election, which is scheduled for 2029.
The resignation follows months of growing pressure within the Labour Party and comes days after Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, secured a return to Parliament through a by-election victory that strengthened speculation about a leadership challenge.
Burnham quickly confirmed that he would stand in any leadership contest, while former health minister Wes Streeting ruled himself out of the race and endorsed Burnham’s candidacy.
Streeting said he believed Burnham was best placed to unite the party and lead the government, a move that further solidifies Burnham’s position as the favourite to succeed Starmer.
Labour’s National Executive Committee is expected to open nominations for the leadership contest in July. If Burnham secures enough support, he could either face challengers or be installed with broad backing from the party.
Starmer’s departure means Britain is set to have its seventh prime minister in the decade since the 2016 Brexit referendum, highlighting a period of continued political volatility in the country.
Burnham is expected to arrive in London this week to take up his parliamentary seat and begin preparations for the Labour leadership contest.
Sources: Reuters/The Guardia/ITV
Photo: Reuters
