Outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the House of Commons for the final time on Wednesday, using his last weekly grilling by MPs to pledge his "wholehearted support" to his successor, Andy Burnham. As Starmer prepares to hand over power, he emphasized his desire for the incoming Labour government to succeed, stating that he intends to offer his support privately if requested, rather than publicly when not asked.
Andy Burnham is expected to be formally installed as the new Labour leader this Friday. He has secured overwhelming backing from the party’s 403 MPs and major trade unions. Given Labour's comfortable majority in the 650-seat House of Commons, Burnham is set to automatically assume the role of the next prime minister. He will become Britain's seventh leader in the last decade.
Starmer’s resignation, which he announced last month, follows a tenure marked by a series of scandals, policy U-turns, and various missteps. These challenges occurred during his two-year term, which began after he led the party to victory in the 2024 elections, ending 14 years of opposition. Reflecting on his time in office, Starmer told the chamber, "In two years in government, I leave the country in better shape than I found it. I am proud of everything that we have achieved." While he is stepping down as prime minister, he confirmed he intends to remain an MP for the time being.
During the session, MPs from across the political spectrum offered their well-wishes and thanked Starmer for his public service. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, while softening her tone, used the opportunity to criticize the outgoing leader. She remarked that Starmer should have focused more on his own backbenchers rather than her party, warning that "changing prime minister is not a silver bullet" and that the Labour Party's difficulties might just be starting.
The session concluded on a lighter note as MPs gave the fervent football fan a loud round of applause. Starmer bid an emphatic "Goodbye" from the despatch box, noting he had a date with his television at 8:00 pm CET to watch England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina. Finance minister Rachel Reeves, who is expected to lose her position in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle, was visibly emotional during the farewell.
"Solving the fundamental problems in this country will require difficult decisions."
