Why Keir Starmer resigned as UK prime minister and what happens next

Keir Starmer said he would step down as UK prime minister less than two years after leading Labour back into government. His decision followed heavy pressure from Labour MPs and ministers after poor local-election results and the rapid rise of Reform UK.

Starmer said he had listened to his parliamentary party and accepted that colleagues no longer saw him as the best person to take Labour into the next general election. He plans to remain in office until Labour completes its leadership process.

The contest is expected to put Andy Burnham in a strong position. Burnham had recently returned to Parliament through the Makerfield by-election, while figures such as Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner indicated support for him rather than launching a major challenge.

Under Labour rules, candidates need support from 20 percent of Labour MPs. If only one candidate reaches the threshold, the party can avoid a wider ballot; otherwise members vote by preferential ballot before a new prime minister is invited to form a government.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/22/why-has-keir-starmer-resigned-as-uk-prime-minister-and-who-will-take-over