UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has resigned less than two years after leading the Labour Party to a landslide general election victory. The announcement, made amid a growing party revolt, opens a race to become Britain’s seventh prime minister in the past decade.
In an emotional speech on Monday, Starmer said he would remain in office until Labour elects a new leader, who will also become the next prime minister. The official leadership contest will start on July 9 and must conclude before Parliament’s summer recess.
Weeks of internal pressure following disappointing local election results had weakened Starmer’s position. A decisive victory for challenger Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, in the Makerfield by-election ultimately triggered the resignation decision.
Who has led Britain in the past decade?
Since 2016, Britain has had six prime ministers, averaging 1.5 to 2 years each, contrasted with the much longer tenures of Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, each of whom led for more than a decade.
Here is a list of British prime ministers over the past decade:
- David Cameron resigned in 2016 after his campaign to remain in the EU failed in the Brexit referendum.
- Theresa May resigned in 2019 after repeatedly failing to secure parliamentary approval for her Brexit deal.
- Boris Johnson resigned in 2022 amid a series of scandals and a wave of ministerial resignations.
- Liz Truss resigned in 2022 after 49 days in office during a market crisis sparked by her government’s economic plan.
- Rishi Sunak left office after the Conservatives suffered a heavy defeat in the 2024 general election.
- Keir Starmer resigned on Monday after mounting pressure from Labour over weak local election results.
Longest and shortest serving prime ministers
Britain’s longest-serving prime minister was Robert Walpole, who held power for more than two decades from 1721 to 1742. In modern times, Thatcher served more than 11 years from 1979 to 1990, while Blair served 10 years from 1997 to 2007.
At the other end, Truss holds the record for the shortest prime ministerial tenure in British history, just 49 days in 2022.
What’s next?
Burnham’s immediate return to the House of Commons makes him the top contender to succeed Starmer, though other Labour figures such as former Health Secretary Wes Streeting are also expected to consider running.
Any candidate needs the nominations of 81 Labour MPs to enter the ballot, which could lead to a summer-long campaign or a quick, uncontested transition if a backroom deal is reached.
