The last dregs of Keir Starmer’s authority were draining away even before his likely replacement could board the Monday morning train to Westminster. Britain’s prime minister is widely expected to announce a timetable for his departure on Monday, less than two years after a landslide election victory, clearing the way for Andy Burnham to become prime minister by the autumn without a formal contest.
Burnham, who won back a seat in Parliament representing Makerfield on Friday, will travel down from northwest England and swear in as an MP on Monday afternoon. The dressed-down, left-leaning politician beat his opponent from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK decisively, inspiring hope in dejected Labour MPs who fear losing to Reform at the next general election.
“Keir Starmer expected to announce resignation timetable Monday, paving way for Andy Burnham to become PM by autumn.”
“The herd isn’t just moving, it’s stampeding,” Harriet Harman told Sky News. Cabinet ministers including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and Ed Miliband have privately told Starmer his time is up. Business Secretary Peter Kyle told the BBC that Starmer was “making time to reflect on the political realities” and that Labour needed to uphold its “authority” in government. Kyle added that Burnham had the “qualifications” and “temperament” to take up the helm.
Starmer spent the weekend at his Chequers country retreat with his wife Victoria, finalising a likely exit plan. On Friday he insisted he would fight any leadership challenge, but by Saturday aides had begun drafting a resignation speech, according to the Guardian. The most likely timetable involves him staying in office until the autumn, allowing a new leader to rally Labour at the party’s annual conference at the end of September. “Logically the best thing for both Andy and Keir would be for that to happen in September,” one cabinet minister said. “Andy has no team ready to go into Downing Street and needs the time to prepare.”
On Sunday, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Starmer “will resign as prime minister of the United Kingdom”, accusing him of “failing badly on immigration and energy”. The US president had not spoken to Starmer. Later that day, Starmer posted on X for Father’s Day: “Being a dad is my greatest joy. Today, I’m thinking about my dad, and the father I am to my children because of him.”
One uncertainty is whether Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary last month, will launch a challenge. He said last week he had the backing of 81 MPs to stand, but allies said over the weekend that he would almost certainly lose a vote and might not compete. Former Tory prime minister Rishi Sunak wrote in the Sunday Times warning Burnham not to become leader “by default”, saying being a “better communicator” would not be enough. “It is vital he has a clear and achievable plan for what he wants to do in those opening hours,” Sunak wrote.
If Starmer resigns, the UK will install its seventh prime minister in 10 years. “He’s an instinctive guy – that’s his great talent,” one source said of Burnham. “We promised people we weren’t going to do this,” a long-time Labour adviser said, exasperated. But as every hour passes, it is more likely the UK will soon have a new leader.