Sir Keir Starmer appeared outside Downing Street on Monday to announce his resignation as prime minister after losing the confidence of his MPs and key members of his cabinet. His departure makes him the shortest-serving Labour prime minister, with Andy Burnham poised to take over within weeks.
Just a month after taking office in July 2024, a YouGov poll gave him a net popularity rating of minus 7, with 36% saying he was doing well. This month, 74% said he was doing badly, sinking his net rating to minus 56. Ipsos polling showed his personal ratings among voters fell below those of his recent predecessors, including Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson and Theresa May.
“Keir Starmer resigns after losing MPs' confidence, with poll ratings at minus 56 and key pledges on NHS, growth, and migration unmet.”
The economy, a central plank of Labour’s manifesto, initially outperformed. Between the second quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2026, the UK grew by 2.3%, faster than the rest of the G7 except the US. In the first quarter of 2026, the UK registered the fastest quarterly growth among G7 nations at 0.6%. But most forecasters, including the IMF, expect that to fade because of the energy shock from the US conflict with Iran. The IMF now forecasts UK GDP growth of 0.8% in 2026, lower than the US (2.3%), Canada (1.5%) and France (0.9%), with weaker growth than the US and Canada also expected in 2027.
On immigration, net migration fell 48% to 171,000 in 2025, down from a peak of 944,000 in 2023 under the Conservatives. Small boat crossings continued, with total arrivals under Starmer passing 200,000 since 2018. However, the number of crossings detected so far in 2026 is down 41% on the same period in 2025.
Sir Keir’s pledge to have 92% of NHS patients in England seen within 18 weeks by the end of the parliament remains far off. The latest data for April 2026 shows only 65% meeting that target.
His resignation speech contrasted sharply with his first speech outside Number 10 in 2024. Then, he promised to restore trust and deliver on manifesto commitments. Now, he leaves with his government’s record under intense scrutiny and a successor already waiting in the wings.