WORLD NEWS: Starmer announces his resignation as British Prime Minister; Burnham declares her candidacy for office
Global Update:
Governments, analysts, and media outlets are continuing to follow this situation closely as additional details become available.
The United Kingdom is preparing for its seventh prime minister in ten years, after various political crises. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, announced this Monday, June 22, his resignation as leader of the Labor Party and head of the Government, bowing to growing pressure within his own party after months of deterioration in his popularity and voters’ confidence in his ability to lead the country towards the next general elections. In a statement delivered outside 10 Downing Street, Starmer confirmed that he will remain as prime minister until the Labor Party elects a new leader, a process that will formally begin in July and could conclude before the resumption of parliamentary activity in September. “The question my party is asking now is whether I am the right person to lead us in the next general election (…) I have heard my parliamentary group’s response to that question and I accept it with gratitude,” said Starmer. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must allow audience measurement and advertising cookies. Accept Manage my options The Labor leader also explained that he had informed King Charles III of his decision and defended that all decisions taken during his mandate have been guided by the national interest. The resignation puts an end to a mandate of just two years at the head of the Government. Starmer had come to power in July 2024 after leading the Labor Party to a resounding electoral victory, promising political stability, economic growth and the recovery of public services punished by years of difficulties. However, his Executive had problems fulfilling several of those promises in a context marked by weak economic growth, the high cost of living and accumulated political wear. Pressure on the Prime Minister has intensified in recent months and reached a critical point following Andy Burnham’s victory in last week’s extraordinary parliamentary elections. Read also Keir Starmer, with one foot outside Downing Street?: rumors of an early resignation are growing Burnham, the most likely to succeed Starmer The former mayor of Greater Manchester, who returns to Westminster after almost a decade away from the House of Commons, confirmed a few hours after Starmer’s announcement that he will compete for the Labor leadership. “His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is essential that this process be carried out in an orderly and responsible manner.” “I will run as a candidate to be part of this process,” Burnham wrote on social networks. The Labor leader also assured that the country needs “stability, seriousness and constant attention to the most important issues” and expressed his hope that the transition becomes “a positive process of renewal” for both the party and the United Kingdom. “Keir has provided an enormous service to our country and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during this very difficult period. His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is essential that this process be carried out in an orderly and responsible manner. I am committed to participating in this process. The country expects stability, seriousness and constant attention to the most important issues, and that is what it will get,” he said. “People want to see progress in economic growth, the cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never divert attention from the responsibility of improving people’s lives. The Labor movement has always been stronger when it looks forward with confidence and determination. This is what we will do from now on and we will ensure that this transition is a positive process of renewal for our party and our country,” Burnham added. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must allow audience measurement and advertising cookies. Accept Manage my options Burnham’s chances were boosted by former Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s decision to publicly endorse her candidacy, a move that is fueling speculation about a possible election without significant opposition. According to the calendar announced by Starmer, applications to succeed him will open on July 9 and will close in the middle of that same month. If only one applicant applies, the transition could be completed before the end of the summer. In the event of an internal contest, the new leader would take office when Parliament returns from its summer recess on September 1. Read alsoUnited Kingdom: Andy Burnham challenges Starmer’s leadership by winning the elections in Makerfield Seven prime ministers in a decade With his departure, Starmer becomes the sixth British prime minister in a decade to announce an early resignation, so the United Kingdom is heading towards its seventh head of government since the 2016 Brexit referendum, whose tenth anniversary is commemorated this week and has been surrounded by protests amid discontent over the effects after the country’s departure from the European Union. “It takes many leaders years to become the statesman that you became in just two years” Although his domestic tenure was marked by difficulties in driving economic growth and responding to concerns about living standards, Starmer received international recognition for his role in European support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion and for his diplomatic efforts to contain instability arising from tensions in the Middle East. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, praised his political legacy. “It takes many leaders years to become the statesman that you became in just two years. European and Ukrainian security is stronger thanks to you. Thank you, dear Keir,” he said. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must allow audience measurement and advertising cookies. Accept Manage my options The resignation also provoked other reactions outside the United Kingdom. True to his style, the US president, Donald Trump, attributed Starmer’s fall to what he described as “failures” in immigration and energy policy, while some Labor deputies defended the still prime minister and denounced what they consider an unfair campaign against him. Among them, London parliamentarian Neil Coyle criticized the possibility that the party could be dragged into a dynamic of constant leadership substitutions and warned that no leader will be able to immediately resolve international challenges such as the war in Ukraine, tensions with Iran or the relationship with the United States. While the Labor Party begins the process to elect its new leader, attention is now focused on Burnham, considered the great favorite to succeed Starmer and take on the task of recovering the electoral support of a party that, despite its historic victory in 2024, has seen its position eroded in the polls in the face of the advance of the far-right Reform UK party and the growth of the Green Party. Read alsoWhat is happening in the United Kingdom?: the reasons surrounding the calls for resignation for Starmer With Reuters, AP and local media
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Source: This article was originally published by France 24 – Noticias y actualidad internacional en vivo and adapted for our international English-speaking audience.
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