Six Prime Ministers in Eight Years: Keir Starmer Resigns

Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as Prime Minister and Labour Party leader, stepping down outside 10 Downing Street after two years in office. He has informed the King of his decision and asked the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee to begin the process of selecting a new leader.

Six Prime Ministers in Eight Years

When TBMag published its first edition eight years ago, Theresa May was in Downing Street. What followed has been a sequence of political upheaval without parallel in modern British history: May, then Boris Johnson, then Liz Truss — who lasted 45 days — then Rishi Sunak, and now Starmer. Six Prime Ministers across eight years of publication. The pace of change has been the defining backdrop of our entire existence as a magazine, and it shows no sign of slowing.

What Starmer Said He Did

Speaking outside Downing Street, Starmer led with his government’s record. The economy had strengthened. Wages had risen above inflation. Investment had been secured. He pointed to the fastest fall in NHS waiting lists in 17 years, the end of austerity, the largest increase in defence spending since the Cold War, and improvements to workers’ and renters’ rights. Half a million children, he said, had been lifted out of poverty. Channel crossings in small boats had fallen; asylum hotels were being closed.

There is substance in parts of that list. But it does not tell the whole story.

The Forces That Brought Him Down

The rise of Reform UK under Nigel Farage has reshaped British politics in ways no Labour government could comfortably navigate. On one flank, Labour’s traditional working-class base has drifted toward Reform on immigration and national identity. On the other, urban progressives have grown restless with a government they see as insufficiently bold. Holding both groups simultaneously — across the sprawling electoral coalition Labour needed to survive — proved beyond the government’s reach.

Energy policy compounded the pressure. In an economy still feeling the weight of the war in Ukraine and the energy price shock that followed, the government’s green transition agenda became politically costly in exactly the communities Labour cannot afford to lose. Reform stepped into the vacuum. Within two years, the combination of immigration pressure and the war economy had made Starmer’s position untenable.

Trump Saw It Coming

In a detail that will be long remembered, US President Donald Trump posted on social media the day before Starmer’s announcement: “Keir Starmer is going to resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He failed on two very important things: Immigration and energy policies. I wish him well.” It was a prediction no commentator in Westminster had matched with anything like that precision on that particular day.

A Personal Farewell

Starmer’s closing words were among his most human. “When I leave the country’s greatest job, I’ll spend more time on my most important one,” he said — “being the best husband I can be to my wonderful wife Vic, who has been a rock through good times and bad, and the best father to my beautiful children, who are my pride and joy.” He thanked friends, colleagues and Downing Street staff who had supported him across six years of public life, and at times appeared visibly moved.

What Comes Next

The Labour Party’s National Executive Committee will oversee the leadership contest. Nominations open on 9 July and close on 16 July, before Parliament rises for the summer recess. If more than one candidate stands, the new Labour leader is expected to be in place by the time Parliament returns in September.

For TBMag readers — in London, across the UK, and in Turkey — the consequences of the next Labour leadership race will matter considerably. From trade negotiations and visa policy to the UK’s relationship with Turkey ahead of COP31 in Antalya, the question of who leads Britain next is not an abstract one. We will be covering every stage of what follows.