Sir Keir Starmer’s final Prime Minister’s Questions opened on a sombre note as the outgoing prime minister paid tribute to Ann Widdecombe, the former Tory minister and Reform UK figure killed last week. Describing it as “chilling” that three serving or former MPs had been murdered during his 11 years in Parliament, Starmer said: “I believe we must do more to defend our democracy.” He had already phoned the leaders of the Conservatives and Reform UK on Friday to express condolences. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch began PMQs by calling Widdecombe “a woman who said what she meant, and meant what she said” and thanked Starmer for his response.
The 50-minute session then shifted into a warmer, often light-hearted farewell. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle guided proceedings as MPs on all sides traded jokes about England’s World Cup hopes and the Clacton by-election. Starmer told colleagues it was the “end of my political journey” and said he was “proud of everything I have achieved”. He thanked his staff, who had been “prepared to walk through fire for me”.
“Starmer's final PMQs mixed laughter, tears, and a sombre call to defend democracy after Ann Widdecombe's murder.”
Tears flowed among his closest allies. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, seated beside him on the front bench, appeared close to tears. Labour MP Carolyn Harris was overcome as she said “every day we see his decency and his courage shine through”. Starmer’s family watched from the gallery as he received a standing ovation from his own MPs and many on the opposition benches when he left the chamber.
Badenoch refrained from attacking Starmer’s record, instead praising his work on Ukraine and his friendship with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called Starmer a “true patriot”. Starmer addressed guests in the gallery, some of whom were campaigners he had met in Downing Street: “To all those in the gallery whose lives have been changed or improved by this Labour government … you’re the reason I came into politics.”
Andy Burnham, the man who forced Starmer out, was absent from the chamber – he has been absent from all PMQs since returning to Parliament last month. Starmer will visit Kyiv on Thursday for a final summit with Zelensky, telling him that the UK’s “cast iron support for Ukraine will endure”. He is due to hand over power to Burnham on Monday, after the former Greater Manchester mayor is confirmed as Labour leader at a special conference on Friday. Speculation is already mounting about who Burnham will appoint to his cabinet.