Keir Starmer is expected to announce on Monday that he will step down as prime minister, after overwhelming pressure from Labour MPs to make way for Andy Burnham to become Labour leader, according to multiple sources. Speaking for the government on Sunday, Business Secretary Peter Kyle refused to confirm Starmer’s specific plans but said the prime minister was aware of the “political realities” and would do what was best for the country.
“He is taking time to think through what the political realities are today compared to last week and the week before,” Kyle told the BBC’s *Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg* programme. “I don’t want to come on here and be delusional that there is no process, there are no forces at work which are challenging the prime minister as leader – that is clearly the case.”
“Keir Starmer expected to announce resignation Monday after Andy Burnham's by-election win sparks leadership crisis.”
The crisis was triggered by Andy Burnham’s blowout victory in the Makerfield by-election on Thursday, in which he increased Labour’s majority and fended off Reform UK. Hours later, more than 100 Labour MPs had called for Starmer to go – just under a quarter of the party’s parliamentary party. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper joined the mutiny, telling the prime minister this weekend that he should step down, it is understood. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband had already done the same after devastating local election results last month.
Even US President Donald Trump waded in, declaring that Starmer “will resign” after meeting him at the G7 summit in France last week. Downing Street reiterated on Sunday that Starmer would fight any leadership challenge, pointing to his comments on Friday when he vowed not to “walk away”. But a senior ally told The Sun there was “just a 25% chance he fights on now”.
Kyle, who spoke at length to Starmer on Friday, said the prime minister was “mindful of the interests of the country” and repeatedly asked his advice on “what the country wanted”. The prime minister spent the weekend at Chequers with his wife Victoria, taking soundings from ministers and friends. One backbencher told The Independent: “Three more months of incapacitated government to go with the five months we've already had … The Labour Party doesn't understand the nature or realities of power.”
Burnham, who is expected to travel to Westminster on Monday to formally take up his seat, is understood to want to delay becoming prime minister until September. A source said the prime minister was now “working towards” a handover, but any deal would depend on securing an agreement with Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary last month and has pledged to challenge for the leadership. Labour peer Charlie Falconer told the BBC that Starmer has “absolutely no authority” because “everybody assumes” Burnham will challenge and win.