12 reactions as Sir Keir Starmer resigns as UK prime minister

Sir Keir Starmer became the seventh UK prime minister to resign in the space of a decade on Monday morning, when he announced outside 10 Downing Street that he has heard and accepted the answer of the Parliamentary Labour Party to the question of whether he is “best placed to lead [them] into the next general election”.

Pressure on Starmer to resign came from his appointment of Peter Mandelson – a man with ties to the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein - as US ambassador; Labour’s poor performance in last month’s local elections; and a win in the Makerfield by-election on Friday for former mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who was widely expected to challenge Starmer for leadership of the party.

Yet, days after insisting he “will not walk away” from the job of PM, Starmer said in a speech: “Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party.”

He added that nominations for the next leader will open on 9 July and be “completed by the summer recess” a week later, with a new leader in place by September at the latest if more than one contender comes forward and a leadership contest is triggered.

Starmer will remain leader until his successor is chosen.

Even before Starmer took to the lectern, US president Donald Trump predicted the Labour leader would resign, citing two “very important subjects” – immigration and energy – on which he “failed badly”.

And now Starmer’s departure has been confirmed, the reactions are coming in thick and fast, with opposition leader Kemi Badenoch of the Conservative Party writing that “we need to get Britain working again”:

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey said the Brits are “sick of being let down by an endless merry-go-round of Prime Ministers while nothing really changes”:

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, demanded a general election:

And Green Party leader Zack Polanski said Starmer “lost the confidence of the country” due to “his abject failure to challenge the power and wealth of an establishment which has taken for themselves”:

As anticipated, Burnham confirmed he will be part of the process of selecting a new Labour leader:

While former health secretary Wes Streeting, considered by some to also throw his hat in the ring as Starmer’s successor, said he would be backing Burnham:

Elsewhere, journalist Piers Morgan said Starmer “was the ultimate man without a plan”:

Former Sky News presenter Kay Burley said she “expected more from him”:

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said Starmer was “a man of great integrity who has devoted his career to public service”:

Labour MP John Slinger wrote: “[Crown emoji]s are for Kings, not PMs”:

Historian Tom Holland tweeted sarcastically: “Stunned to learn that Sir Keir Starmer, having stated categorically that he was 100% not resigning, is now resigning”:

While ahead of Starmer’s resignation, one X/Twitter user joked: “The banter timeline is where Starmer resigns and then runs for mayor of Greater Manchester”:

That election, triggered by Burnham becoming the MP for Makerfield, will take place on 30 July.

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• Trump says Starmer will resign as UK prime minister after 'failing badly' on two key issues

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