Prime Minister Keir Starmer expected to announce exit plans: UK media | Political Affairs

Keir Starmer is under intense pressure from his own Labor Party to announce his intention to step down as Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer may announce plans to resign, according to UK media reports, while his successor Andy Burnham is expected to be sworn in as an MP.

Government ministers say the Labor leader will consider his political future over the weekend.

Starmer could set an exit deadline on Monday, to accept the pressure from his Labor Party to provide leadership.

The threat to the British leader, which has been building for several months, increased significantly on Friday Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, won the parliamentary elections to return to Westminster, beating the leader of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which has led the national elections for more than a year.

The victory gave Labor lawmakers hope that Burnham, a politician known for his communication skills, could turn the party’s fortunes around after Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted.

If Starmer announces his exit, he will become the sixth prime minister in a decade to stand outside 10 Downing Street and announce his departure.

The frustrated leader “is expected to announce on Monday that he will step down as Prime Minister after intense pressure from Labor MPs to produce Andy Burnham,” The Guardian reported.

The BBC said “signs are growing” that Starmer could be set to resign on Monday, with headlines such as “Game Over”.

But the expected change of leader is not without risk.

Beyond saying that the country needs major reform and lowering the cost of living, Burnham has not made clear his approach to foreign affairs, the economy and security.

Like Starmer, he may find he has little room to run, beset by market lobbyists who oppose any further government borrowing, and face an angry electorate who believe the country is failing.

Starmer promised to fight

Starmer said on Friday that he would stand in any Labor leadership contest that would be necessary in his place.

While Starmer’s party believes a 2024 election win will give him a chance to stay in office until 2029, business minister Peter Kyle said on Sunday the prime minister was considering “the political challenges he faces at the moment”.

If Starmer were to defect, it’s unclear whether Burnham would face the crown or the odds. Wes Streetingwho resigned as health secretary last month to challenge Starmer’s leadership, said he would take part in the race if there was one.

Burnham, if successful, would be Britain’s seventh prime minister since the Brexit vote to leave the European Union, which happened 10 years ago this week.

That turnout – Britain’s highest in almost two centuries – reflects the struggle to retain the support of voters angry at successive failures to improve their standard of living, public services and crack down on illegal immigration.