Leaving U.K. in better shape: Keir Starmer at final Parliament session as PM
Keir Starmer delivered his final Prime Minister's Questions session in the U.K. Parliament, announcing his departure from office. Andy Burnham is expected to succeed him as Prime Minister following a successful leadership race within the Labour Party.
Why it matters
This marks a significant transition in British leadership, reflecting on the political trajectory of the Labour Party from 2019 to 2024.
Keir Starmer wrapped up his final Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) session in the lower house of the U.K. Parliament on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) with an emotional farewell and standing ovation from the government benches.
The 63-year-old Labour MP, who announced his resignation last month and has been serving as caretaker until the party leader is elected, said he was leaving Britain in a better place than he found it and expressed “wholehearted support” for his successor.
Andy Burnham, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester, is on course to take charge as the new British Prime Minister next week after being endorsed by a resounding 349 Labour MPs in the leadership race.
“I'm proud to leave this country in a better shape than I found it; I am proud of everything that we have achieved,” Mr. Starmer told MPs in the House of Commons as he concluded PMQs with “goodbye.”
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