Britain’s outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks as he leaves 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, July 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Keir Starmer bowed out as the UK’s prime minister on Monday, declaring “my work is done” as he prepared to hand over power to Andy Burnham after being forced to resign by his own Labour Party.Delivering his farewell address outside 10 Downing Street before heading to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to King Charles III, Starmer maintained that Britain was “stronger and fairer than it was two years ago” when he took office.”I go with good grace, I go with a smile and I go proud of everything that we have achieved,” he told reporters outside the Downing Street.Burnham will formally become Britain’s prime minister after King Charles invites him to form a government at Buckingham Palace. He will be the UK’s seventh prime minister since 2016 and takes office after replacing Starmer as Labour leader on Friday.Britain’s parliamentary system allows a governing party to change its leader—and, by extension, the prime minister—without holding a general election. The next national vote is due by 2029, although Burnham can call one earlier.After his audience with the King, Burnham will return to Downing Street to deliver his first speech as prime minister. According to his spokesperson, he will acknowledge the country’s frequent leadership changes over the past decade and pledge to restore political stability.The message echoes Starmer’s own promise when he entered office two years ago. However, after a series of political missteps and declining support within Labour, he announced last month that he would step down.Burnham was the sole candidate in the Labour leadership contest, securing nominations from 379 of the party’s 403 MPs in the House of Commons. The former mayor of Greater Manchester has pledged to make politics “less toxic”, raise living standards and “bring back the hope we have all been missing.””I will work to build a new politics,” Burnham vowed after becoming Labour leader on Friday. “The country is crying out for it.”Attention will now turn to Burnham’s Cabinet appointments, with changes expected to key portfolios, including the Treasury, foreign affairs and the Home Office.In his first speech as Labour leader, Burnham praised Starmer’s record and promised to “build on the foundation laid” by his predecessor.Starmer, who became Labour leader in 2020 following one of the party’s worst election defeats, led it to a landslide victory four years later. But his premiership was ultimately undermined by mounting governing challenges.During his final Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Starmer defended his government’s record, highlighting its support for Ukraine, stronger protections for workers, measures to reduce child poverty, legislation aimed at preventing official cover-ups after national tragedies, and increased defence spending.”I am proud to leave this country in a better shape than I found it,” he declared.(With AP inputs)
