Starmer resignation sets up UK’s seventh prime minister in a decade
Keir Starmer will stay on until Labour chooses a new leader after party pressure and a by-election defeat shifted the race to succeed him.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he will resign, setting Britain on course for its seventh prime minister in 10 years, Al Jazeera reported. The decision matters because it opens another leadership contest in a country that has seen repeated changes at the top since the Brexit vote.
Starmer made the announcement on Monday, nearly two years after leading Labour to a landslide general election victory, according to Al Jazeera. He said he would remain in Downing Street until Labour selects a new party leader, who would also become the next prime minister.
Al Jazeera reported that Labour’s formal leadership race is scheduled to start on July 9 and finish before Parliament breaks for the summer. The contest follows rising pressure inside Labour after weak local election results and a parliamentary by-election in Makerfield won by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who had challenged Starmer.
A rapid turnover in Downing Street
Al Jazeera reported that the UK has had six prime ministers since 2016, with the next leader becoming the seventh over a 10-year span. That pace contrasts with the longer premierships of Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, each of whom led the country for more than a decade.
David Cameron left office in 2016 after backing continued UK membership in the European Union and losing the Brexit referendum, according to Al Jazeera. Theresa May resigned in 2019 after failing several times to win Parliament’s support for her Brexit withdrawal deal.
Boris Johnson stepped down in 2022 after scandals and a wave of ministerial departures weakened his government, Al Jazeera reported. Liz Truss followed him and resigned after 49 days, amid financial market disruption linked to her government’s economic programme.
Rishi Sunak left office after the Conservatives suffered a heavy defeat in the 2024 general election, according to Al Jazeera. Starmer’s resignation now adds Labour to the recent run of leaders forced out or removed after political pressure.
Historical context
Al Jazeera reported that Robert Walpole remains the longest-serving British prime minister, holding the post for more than 20 years from 1721 to 1742. In the modern period, Thatcher served a little more than 11 years from 1979 to 1990, while Blair was prime minister for 10 years from 1997 to 2007.
Truss holds the record for the shortest premiership in British history, lasting 49 days in 2022, according to Al Jazeera. Her resignation remains a marker of how quickly political authority can collapse under pressure from markets and Parliament.
Who may replace Starmer
Burnham’s return to the House of Commons has made him the leading contender to succeed Starmer, Al Jazeera reported. Other Labour figures, including former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, are expected to weigh bids.
Under the process described by Al Jazeera, a candidate needs nominations from 81 Labour MPs to reach the ballot. That threshold could lead to a summer-long campaign, or to a faster transfer of power if party figures settle on a single candidate.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.