Keir Starmer announces resignation as UK Prime Minister amid growing pressure from party and cabinet

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his resignation amid mounting pressure from his own Cabinet and the Labour Party. Starmer said he had already informed King Charles III about his decision and would continue as Prime Minister until a new leader is elected. The Labour Party government, led by Keir Starmer, came to power after a major victory in the 2024 general election.

Political pressure is believed to be the main reason behind his resignation. Calls for Starmer to step down had increased within the party and Cabinet after Labour suffered a major setback in the local elections held in May. The pressure intensified further after Andy Burnham, one of Starmer’s key rivals within the Labour Party, won the parliamentary by-election in the Makerfield constituency last week. Burnham had also challenged Starmer for the party leadership. More than 100 MPs had reportedly demanded Starmer’s resignation.

Internal divisions and problems within the Labour Party also contributed to the leadership crisis. In 2024, Starmer, who was then the Opposition Leader, defeated the Conservative Party led by Indian-origin former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with a historic majority and became the 58th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom