‘I go with good grace and a smile on my face’: Starmer says, making way for Burnham as U.K. PM
Keir Starmer has resigned as UK Prime Minister, making way for his successor Andy Burnham after a short and politically turbulent tenure. Starmer's departure follows internal party conflicts and policy disagreements that weakened his administration's stability.
Why it matters
The change in leadership marks a significant shift in British politics, reflecting the volatility of the current political climate in the UK.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer handed in his resignation to Britain’s monarch, King Charles III, to make way for his successor, former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who was elected party leader without contest on Friday (July 17, 2026) and became Britain’s seventh Prime Minister in just over a decade.
Mr. Starmer made history two years ago when he led the Labour Party — which had suffered its worst defeat in decades in 2019 — to one of the largest victories in modern times. The party took power from the Conservatives after more than 14 years. On Monday (July 20, 2026), he made history again, but this time for becoming the U.K.’s shortest-serving Labour Prime Minister in modern history.
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