British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that he is stepping down.
The announcement was the last act in a long drama that saw Starmer’s Labour Party battered in election after election this year, according to Fox News.
Pressure on Starmer to quit had come in the form of members of Parliament and his own leadership team calling for him to step aside before the party was hammered in the next general election.
Starmer said he wants a new prime minister in place before September and will stay on as a lame duck leader until that individual is chosen.
BREAKING: Keir Starmer cries as he resigns as UK Prime Minister. Sad end to a dismal tenure. Never seen such a big election win end in such abject failure so fast. Bottom line: he wanted power but didn’t know how to lead the country.
He was the ultimate man without a plan. pic.twitter.com/4yWLGgisqn— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 22, 2026
“Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to his Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision,” he said.
Are you glad to see the wildly pro-immigrant, anti-UK prime minister out of office?
“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace,” he continued.
Starmer said he wants an orderly process to pick his replacement.
“I will ask the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party to set out a timetable with nominations opening on the 9th of July and completed by the summer recess,” he said.
“In the case of a contest, this will ensure a new leader is in place before Parliament returns in September. I will remain in post as prime minister until the contest is complete. And I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power,” he said.
Labour lost roughly 1,500 council seats in local governments and control of more than 25 local government councils last month. Nigel Farage’s Reform U.K. party made significant advances in those elections.
President Donald Trump had said Sunday that Starmer was on the way out.
“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom,” Trump posted Sunday on Truth Social.
“He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!),” Trump wrote. “I wish him well!”
Andy Burnham, who won election to Parliament last week, is seeking t0 lead the party, according to the BBC.
Wes Streeting, a former health secretary considered to have backing from the centrist wing of the party, announced he is not seeking to be party leader, which appears to leave Burnham the favorite to be the next Labour leader and prime minister.
Reform demands an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change.
If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming.
Read my second essay to Britain. 👇
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) June 22, 2026
Reform’s Nigel Farage has said that a general election should be held now.
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