Keir Starmer throws in the towel, victim of his own mistakes

LondonA tearful and emotional Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for less than two years, announced this Monday that he is stepping down in a speech of just over six minutes. After a weekend of reflection at his country residence, and having communicated his decision to King Charles III, the premier has come to the conclusion that everyone around him had already assumed, perhaps less so himself. But the pressure has finally become unbearable in the face of the evident lack of support within the Labour parliamentary group.

He himself acknowledged this from the lectern located in front of the famous black door of number 10: "The question my party has now asked itself is whether I am the most suitable person to lead us to the next general election [originally scheduled for 2029]. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary group to this question, and I accept it with sportsmanship and elegance."

Starmer's farewell had the "Ode to Joy" as its background soundtrack, in an evident reference to Brexit, showing the great political instability that the United Kingdom has fallen into since the referendum on membership of the European Union, which will be a decade old tomorrow. The next occupant of Downing Street – very probably Andy Burnham, former mayor of Greater Manchester – will be the seventh British Prime Minister in ten years.

Starmer made the announcement of his resignation, attempting to defend his legacy: "Look at what we have achieved in just two years: a stronger economy, moving faster than our competitors; wages that have risen above inflation every month since we came to power. We have secured investments, infrastructure is being built, we have put an end to austerity; we have achieved the fastest reduction in NHS waiting lists in seventeen years…"

the scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson's appointmentAmong the most controversial episodes of the interim premier are the withdrawal of heating assistance for millions of pensioners, which he later had to reverse, cuts or reforms in certain social benefits, and a flat economy. To this was added the scandal surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, despite his known links to the pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer appointed him and had to dismiss him nine months later (September 2025). All of this has contributed to the image of a clumsy, cautious, technocratic, and continuidade government, without ambition, project, or narrative, very far from the profound change the country expected after fourteen years of Conservative executives.

newly elected Member of Parliament for the Makerfield constituency in the north of England

According to the plan he has outlined, if there is more than one candidate – aspirants will at least need the support of 81 parliamentarians – and a formal competition for the crown is necessary, the new leader of the Labour party will be chosen before Parliament resumes its sessions in September. In this way, the party aims to avoid months of political uncertainty and to arrive in the autumn with a fully consolidated new leadership.

Manchesterism arrives in London

Although, as has been pointed out, he has accepted his parliamentary group's decision "with elegance", Starmer leaves convinced that the party is making a serious mistake and is imitating the chaos that befell the Conservative Party, with Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak between 2016 and 2022. Despite this, the still Labour leader has assured: "I will give my successor my full and unequivocal support, knowing that he will inherit a United Kingdom much stronger and fairer than the one I inherited two years ago, better prepared to face the challenges ahead and in a better position to ensure that the Labour Party achieves a second term in government".

The first unknown of the day was resolved with the usual choreography. Silence early in the morning at Downing Street, no leaks and acceptance of the resignation, which did not become official until the prime minister's office workers began to set up the public address system and lectern outside Downing Street.

And a couple of hours later, the second was practically resolved. In all probability, Andy Burnham will be crowned, after one of the contenders to succeed Starmer, who had publicly expressed his intention to challenge Starmer, former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, announced in an open letter that he supports the former mayor of Manchester.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester until last week, newly elected MP for the Makerfield constituency in northern England, arrives in London this midday and will take his seat. On his journey from Manchester to the British capital, he confirmed for the first time what was already well known. In a brief message on X, he assured that Starmer's decision "marks the beginning of a transition", and that "it is important that this process is carried out in an orderly and responsible manner". "I will present my candidacy within this process," he added.

Wes Streeting's resignation from participating in a leadership race, and the almost certain lack of a candidate with enough MPs – the aforementioned 81 – leaves the path clear for Burnham's coronation. Mancunianism arrives in London.