Keir Starmer has said Labour can win the next general election under his successor, Andy Burnham, after turning the party's fortunes around during his six-year stint as leader. In his final newspaper interview as Prime Minister, conducted with The Mirror, Starmer expressed confidence that the party is on a sound footing to secure a second term in office.
Starmer's Farewell Message
Starmer, who will resign as Prime Minister on Monday after just two years in No10, said he hands over a party in 'good shape.' He will be replaced as Labour leader by Andy Burnham on Friday, and will formally leave Downing Street after presenting his resignation to the King. Reflecting on his tenure, he stated: 'I will go with good grace. I want my country to thrive, and therefore I'll do everything to make sure there's an orderly transition and give my full support to Andy Burnham and the whole of the government.'
Confidence in a Second Term
Starmer told The Mirror: 'There is now I think a sound footing, a sound foundation, and the party can go on and win a second term, which is what I always thought we could do. We've built the platform to go on and win in 2029. We hand over the country and the party in good shape after six and a half years from a state where the party, as I say, it was a question of whether it would exist.' He added that he will support the government and do everything to ensure it goes forward successfully.
Personal Decision to Step Down
After more than a decade in Parliament, including two years as PM and six-and-a-half as Labour leader, Starmer said the decision to end his political career was deeply personal, made with his wife Victoria. He explained: 'I came into politics in 2015 to improve the lives of millions of people. I didn't imagine when I came in that I would lead the Labour Party or be Prime Minister. But to take a decision to end my political journey is intensely personal.' He noted that the decision impacted his family, and he wanted to be with them when making it.
Impact on Family
Starmer admitted that life in No10 had taken a toll on his family, causing him to miss time with his teenage son and daughter. Visibly emotional, he said: 'It is hugely impactful. However much you try to make it not impact the family, and we all do, and I desperately try to protect Vic and the kids, there's no doubting it has an impact on them.' He now looks forward to spending more time with them, transitioning from 'the most high-profile job in the country' to 'the most important job,' being the best husband and father he can be.
Challenges and Achievements
Starmer struggled to recover from early mistakes, including cutting the winter fuel allowance and the revolt over disability benefit cuts. His decision to name Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, despite ties to Jeffrey Epstein, cast a shadow over his final months. However, he expressed pride in taking a demoralised Labour party from its 2019 drubbing to a landslide win in 2024, and for stamping out antisemitism complaints that dogged the party under Jeremy Corbyn. Speaking from Kyiv, he cited bolstered Britain's reputation, successes on NHS waiting lists, action to lift children out of poverty, and measures to stabilise the economy.
Final Acts and Legacy
In his final days, Starmer pushed through the Hillsborough Law to prevent state cover-ups and filled the gallery of his final PMQs with bereaved families whose cases he championed. He said: 'I've always wanted to fight for the people who struggle to be heard and struggle to be seen. There are plenty of people with big platforms and plenty to say, particularly in politics. I'm interested in the people who struggle to be seen, struggle to be heard, but whose lives are hugely impacted by the decisions we can make.'
Reflections on His Exit
Reflecting on his exit, Starmer said: 'I'm proud to have turned the Labour Party around, to have won a general election, and to put the party on a good footing. The question the parliamentary party are asking is not who is the right person to lead the Labour Party to victory and to change, but who is the right person to take it forward to 2029. They've answered that question.' Asked if he had another big job in him, he replied: 'The big job in me is being the best dad to my kids and the best husband to my wife. That is... that is a big job. And it's a job I'm very much looking forward to.'
