Keir Starmer is expected to resign as British prime minister on Monday and set a timetable for his departure, according to a report in The Observer, though a government source said he remains focused on the work of governing.
The pressure on Starmer, which had been mounting for months, intensified sharply on Friday when his rival Andy Burnham won a parliamentary seat that allows him to formally challenge for the Labour leadership. According to The Observer, which did not name its sources, Starmer concluded that continuing in the role was no longer viable after conversations with ministers, advisers, donors, and union leaders. He was said to be discussing the matter with his wife at Chequers, the prime ministerial country residence, before making a final decision, with senior Labour figures expecting a clear statement on his future by Monday.
Starmer said on Friday he would face any leadership challenge directly, and urged his party not to tear itself apart through internal conflict.
A Reuters count found that more than 100 elected Labour MPs, roughly a quarter of the party’s seats in the House of Commons, have publicly called for him to resign or set a timeline for leaving.
Starmer led Labour to a sweeping general election victory in 2024, but his popularity has collapsed following a series of scandals and policy reversals that left many voters with the impression he had failed to deliver on his promises to improve living standards.
Should he resign or be removed, the UK would be appointing its seventh prime minister in just over a decade, the highest rate of leadership turnover in nearly two centuries, reflecting sustained public anger over successive governments’ failure to improve public services and address issues including illegal migration.
Burnham, a 56-year-old career politician, is widely regarded within Labour as the most likely successor, whether through a negotiated handover or a formal leadership contest. He has not yet announced any intention to run, but used his victory speech to promise a new direction for the country. His allies have urged Starmer to agree to step aside voluntarily.
