Last month, the UK’s ruling Labour Party suffered a major blow in local elections, losing a significant number of council seats. This prompted Labour MPs to call for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation. According to reports on June 21, multiple cabinet ministers have revealed that Starmer is expected to announce his departure timeline soon, paving the way for Labour MP Andy Burnham to take over as Prime Minister.
On June 19, Starmer stated that if anyone within Labour challenged his leadership, he would fight for his position and not resign. However, more than six cabinet ministers have privately told him that his term is “over.” Under mounting pressure, Starmer has conceded, and he and his core team began drafting his resignation speech on June 20.
According to cabinet sources, Starmer is expected to announce his departure timeline on June 22. The most likely scenario is that he will stay on until the autumn, allowing the new Labour leader to regroup at the party’s annual conference in late September.
Labour MP Andy Burnham is seen as the strongest internal contender. One cabinet minister remarked, “Logically, the best scenario for both Burnham and Starmer is a handover in September. Burnham isn’t ready to move into Downing Street yet—he needs time to prepare. This also gives Starmer enough time to plan his exit.”
A government insider also told the press that Starmer will most likely formally step down in the autumn. “I really hope Starmer makes a decision that’s good for the country. Right now, Burnham doesn’t seem quite ready,” the source said.
Preliminary preparations for a power transition may have already begun. Starmer’s chief of staff, Darren Jones, has met with Louis Haigh, a key member of Burnham’s team, and further talks are expected. Given the need for the Labour government to prepare a budget for late autumn, Starmer’s departure is unlikely to be delayed further.
Even US President Donald Trump seems to have caught wind of the news. On June 21, he posted on social media: “Keir Starmer is going to resign as Prime Minister. He failed on two very important issues—immigration and energy. Good luck to him!”
UK PM Keir Starmer
Last month’s local elections covered about 5,000 council seats in England, along with all 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament and 96 in the Welsh Parliament. Labour took a heavy hit, losing many seats. The opposition Conservatives also suffered notable losses, while the far-right Reform UK made unprecedented gains.
The electoral defeat sparked internal criticism of Starmer. Around a quarter of Labour MPs called for his resignation. Insiders revealed that since the local elections, seven cabinet ministers have urged Starmer to step down for the sake of the party and the country.
Former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is the hot favorite to succeed Starmer. On June 19, Burnham won a by-election in the Makerfield constituency, defeating the Reform UK candidate and returning to the House of Commons. This gave him the qualification to run for Labour leader and the prime minister’s job.
Burnham called the by-election result a potential turning point for UK politics. He warned Labour that this is the last chance to adjust its course. Starmer congratulated Burnham on social media, writing: “Voters chose Labour’s hopeful and optimistic message, not division and hatred.”
Burnham, 56, is the most popular politician among Labour members. Polls show that if party members were to vote for a new leader, he would win by a landslide. He has long advocated for the nationalization of key public services and has criticized the flaws of neoliberal economic policies. He has publicly stated that he will run once the Labour leadership contest begins.
Labour MP Andy Burnham
If Starmer resigns, Burnham may not be the only candidate. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting also announced last week that he would enter the leadership race. However, reports suggest Streeting may struggle to secure enough support from Labour MPs, making his candidacy uncertain. If he doesn’t back down, more candidates could emerge.
As Starmer’s approval ratings continue to slide, government officials seem to have accepted that his tenure is coming to an end. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said in a BBC interview: “I don’t want to kid myself that there aren’t forces and processes challenging the PM’s leadership. The reality is clearly otherwise.”
Reynolds said he had a long conversation with Starmer and offered some advice. He declined to share details but emphasized that Starmer “takes the national interest very seriously.”
When asked if he wants a leadership contest to determine Starmer’s successor, Reynolds replied: “Competition is better, where possible, but it needs to be balanced with the need to maintain party authority.” He urged Labour to learn from the Conservatives’ mistakes and ensure all changes are made pragmatically, keeping the government focused on people’s needs.
After Burnham’s by-election win, Starmer said he planned to meet with him. But reports suggest the meeting may not happen. Some in Starmer’s inner circle believe that by setting his own departure timeline, he can claim he’s leaving on his own terms.
If Starmer steps down, the UK will have its seventh prime minister in nearly a decade—the highest turnover in almost 200 years. Public dissatisfaction with successive governments’ failure to improve living standards, public services, and control illegal immigration lies at the heart of the ongoing political turmoil.
