UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces he will resign

Sir Keir Starmer announced Monday he would resign as UK Prime Minister, paving the way for newly elected MP Andy Burnham to succeed him.Starmer, 63, set out a timetable to stand down after coming under mounting pressure following last month’s local elections, where the governing Labour Party lost more than 1,000 seats.“I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace,” Starmer said outside 10 Downing Street in London.Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first.That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party.

I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision.”Starmer confirmed nominations to elect a new leader will open on July 9 and the process will be completed by the summer recess.He said he will remain in post until a new leader is either elected by Labour members – or chosen by MPs.Starmer’s voice cracked with emotion as he concluded his speech — thanking his wife, Victoria, for being a “rock … in good times and bad.”“When I leave the biggest job in the country, I shall spend more time on the most important job, being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife Vic,” he said.“And being the best dad I can to my beautiful children who are my pride and joy.”Starmer spent the past weekend at the Prime Minister’s country retreat of Chequers, considering his future in light of Burnham’s storming win in last week’s Makerfield by-election.He had previously vowed to fight any leadership election in the wake of Burnham’s victory before realizing the game was up, according to a senior Labour figure.“What he rightly wants to avoid is humiliation, but the worst humiliation for Keir personally would be if he stands in a leadership election and is heavily beaten,” they told Reuters.Labour suffered devastating losses across England’s post-industrial heartlands, where they were routed by Nigel Farage’s in...