Keir Starmer is expected to announce his resignation as prime minister later today after overwhelming pressure from Labour MPs to make way for Andy Burnham to become party leader. The move follows the Manchester mayor's emphatic victory in last Thursday's Makerfield byelection, where he leveraged his popularity and the prevailing anti-Starmer mood to secure more votes than Reform and Restore combined.
Senior political correspondent Peter Walker described how the coming days and weeks may unfold for the Labour government, pondering how 'no-drama Starmer' ended up the most unpopular prime minister in memory. For weeks, Starmer's allies had briefed that he was 'hellbent' on fighting any challenge, but a shift in mood has become evident among Labour MPs.
More than 200 Labour MPs—over half the parliamentary party—are willing to nominate Burnham for the leadership, making a coronation seem inevitable. Cabinet colleagues including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander have urged Starmer to step aside in an orderly fashion.
Timing is crucial; an announcement today would pre-empt tomorrow's scheduled cabinet meeting, where at least half of those around the table want Starmer gone. Outlets have reported resignations are planned if he does not resign. Burnham has remained silent, but chat about allowing Starmer a dignified exit reflects Labour's desire to avoid replicating Tory leadership chaos.
Donald Trump posted that Starmer 'will resign,' causing embarrassment for Downing Street. Starmer's expected departure marks a dramatic fall for a leader who once prided himself on a no-drama approach but now faces the consequences of record unpopularity and internal rebellion.
