Sir Keir Starmer attended Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on Tuesday, marking one of his final engagements on the international stage before being succeeded by Andy Burnham as prime minister.
The Prime Minister met British troops involved in the ceremonial events in the French capital and watched the military parade alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, and other leaders. Troops from the Grenadier Guards marched alongside the French Garde Republicaine during the parade, which also featured a flypast.
Final Summit Tributes
The Bastille Day appearance followed Sir Keir's final 'coalition of the willing' summit on Monday, where fellow leaders paid tribute to his impact on the world stage. French President Macron told Sir Keir, 'we owe you a lot, Prime Minister,' while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would 'phone you occasionally to get your opinion on this or that.' Ukrainian President Zelensky thanked Sir Keir for his 'constant, steadfast support,' which the Prime Minister said would continue under his successor.
Burnham Secures Leadership
That successor is now guaranteed to be Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, who secured the backing of 349 Labour MPs on Monday. With only 54 Labour MPs yet to nominate someone for the leadership, it is mathematically impossible for another candidate to secure the 81 supporters necessary to mount a late challenge. Mr Burnham will be officially confirmed as the new leader on Friday and will formally take over from Sir Keir on July 20.
Burnham's Priorities
Despite being the only candidate, Mr Burnham took part in an online hustings with Labour MPs on Monday. Party sources said he used the event to set out his priorities for the country, including devolving power to communities, improving growth across the UK, and tackling the cost of living. He also paid tribute to Sir Keir for delivering on his promise of a Hillsborough Law, which is expected to clear the Commons on Tuesday after a deal to bring spies within its 'duty of candour.' Mr Burnham pledged to lead from the front on changing the culture within Labour, promising to be more accountable and accessible to MPs and to appoint cabinet ministers from across the party.
