UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigns after local election defeat

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as prime minister and leader of the Labour Party following a political crisis triggered by a defeat in local elections.

Scraper SystemJune 22, 2026, 07:57 PM

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigns after local election defeat

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced he is stepping down from his post at 10 Downing Street after a political crisis erupted in the wake of a local election defeat. Speaking outside the Prime Ministerial residence, Starmer thanked his colleagues and declared he was resigning from the premiership and the leadership of the Labour Party.

Follow our news on Google. Add us to your favourites to get the latest news and breaking developments instantly via Google. Add us as your preferred source on Google. Accepting that his term as UK Prime Minister has come to an end, Starmer used the phrase "my time is up."

In his statement, Starmer said: "I know that the question being put to us right now is not who is the best person to carry the Labour Party into power and launch the vital work of making life better for millions of people. Those questions have already been answered. The question my party is now asking is whether I am the right person to lead us into the next general election."

"Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I am resigning as leader of the Labour Party. This morning I met with King Charles III and informed him of my decision." Starmer stated that a new Labour Party leader and UK Prime Minister would be in place by September. He said the candidacy process would begin on 9 July, adding, "I will remain in office until the contest is complete."

The appointment of Jeffrey Epstein-linked Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to Washington, the failure to deliver on political pledges, and finally a string of ministerial resignations had led to growing calls within the Labour Party for Starmer to step down. TRUMP HAD SAID STARMER WOULD RESIGN US President Donald Trump posted about UK Prime Minister Starmer on his social media account.

In his post, Trump wrote: "Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He has suffered major failures on two very important issues: immigration and energy policy. I wish him the best of luck."

CALL IN THE UK FOR A PROPER WITHDRAWAL According to reports in The Guardian and The Times citing Labour Party sources, around 200 party members, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband, had called on the Prime Minister to step aside in an orderly manner.

Miliband and Mahmood urged Starmer to leave office and set a timetable for a new leadership election, while party sources indicated that other new ministers could join this duo. Sources had stressed that Starmer would meet with MPs and ministers today to sound out their views, but that the Prime Minister had no intention of giving up easily.

Sources reported that if Starmer did not resign over the weekend or set a timetable for a new leader, ministers could intervene at a Cabinet meeting next Tuesday, having urged Starmer to "go before the inevitable end comes." The sources also noted that Starmer should not enter the leadership race himself once a timetable was set.

MANCHESTER MAYOR BURNHAM HAD BEEN TIPPED AS NEW LEADER Within the Labour Party, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham had been tipped as the new leader. Burnham, who needs to be an MP to take the party helm, had wanted to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February, but Starmer had blocked his candidacy.

Burnham secured the right to contest the Makerfield by-election through a decision of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee and won the seat in the election. Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and former Health Secretary Wes Streeting had also previously called on Starmer to resign, with Streeting stating he would enter the leadership race and Rayner saying she would back Burnham.

WHO IS STARMER? Keir Starmer, who became the UK's new prime minister after the Labour Party swept to power in the 4 July general election, made history as the figure who ended 14 years of Conservative Party rule.

Taking over from former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Starmer worked in the legal field for many years before entering politics and quickly became one of the most influential figures in British politics. Born in London on 2 September 1962, Starmer studied law at the University of Leeds before completing a master's degree at the University of Oxford.

Starmer worked as a lawyer in human rights and criminal law for many years, drawing attention for his achievements in his legal career. He served as head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the highest prosecuting authority in England and Wales, between 2008 and 2013. Awarded a knighthood for his contributions to public service, Starmer stood out as one of the country's most prominent jurists during this period.

Starmer entered the House of Commons in 2015 after being elected MP for the Camden constituency in North London. He has served in parliament ever since and quickly became one of the leading figures in the Labour Party.

After the Labour Party suffered a historic defeat in the 12 December 2019 election and the then-leader Jeremy Corbyn resigned, Starmer won the ensuing leadership contest and became the party's new leader in 2020. Taking the helm of the Labour Party with 56.2 percent of the vote, Starmer pursued a more centrist and pragmatic line within the party, reshaping its ambition to return to power.

Keir Starmer was among the politicians closely engaged with European affairs. He served as Jeremy Corbyn's Brexit spokesperson between 2016 and 2020. A supporter of the UK remaining in the European Union, Starmer drew attention for his criticism of the government during the Brexit process.

Starmer called on the government of the time to develop a more comprehensive exit strategy and occasionally raised the prospect of a second referendum. However, he adopted a more cautious approach in later years. During the election campaign he led as Labour Party leader, he stressed that the UK would not rejoin the European Union's single market or customs union.

Nevertheless, he argued that the Brexit deal signed under Boris Johnson needed to be improved. Don't Miss: Ceasefire deal between Iran and the US! The roadmap has been set... The first real test: The Lebanon War View the story.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigns after local election defeat

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as prime minister and leader of the Labour Party following a political crisis triggered by a defeat in local elections.