British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that he will step down after facing pressure from within the Labour Party. He said he would remain as caretaker prime minister until a new Labour leader is chosen. Starmer made the announcement outside 10 Downing Street after weeks of concern about his leadership. His decision comes less than two years after Labour won a large election victory in July 2024.
Starmer’s popularity and Labour’s support have fallen since he became prime minister. Many Labour lawmakers have been worried about the government’s struggles with the economy, public services and the cost of living. His departure was also linked to the political return of Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester. Burnham won a special election and was expected to challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership.
Starmer is the latest in a series of British prime ministers to leave office earlier than planned. His resignation comes just before the 10th anniversary of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. While he faced problems at home, Starmer was praised by some people for his work with other countries, including support for Ukraine. Labour will now choose a new leader to try to rebuild support for the government.