By Nkiruka Nnorom with agency report
UNITED Kingdom’s Keir Starmer is expected to announce his resignation as prime minister today after overwhelming pressure from Labour MPs to make way for Andy Burnham to become Labour leader.
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Starmer’s departure will set the UK on course for a seventh prime minister in 10 years, just two years after he led Labour to a sweeping general election victory, winning a majority of 174 seats.
U.S. President, Donald Trump, also claimed yesterday that Starmer would step down from office, citing what he described as failures on immigration and energy policy.
Starmer’s premiership has been battered by controversies and U-turns, including over winter fuel payments to older people and the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington.
Speaking for the government yesterday, Peter Kyle, the Business Secretary, refused to comment on Starmer’s specific plans but said the prime minister was aware of the political realities and would do what was best for the country.
“I don’t want to come on here and be delusional that there is no process, there are no forces at work which are challenging the prime minister as leader – that is clearly the case,” he told BBC.
The prime minister and his allies had insisted for weeks, before the Makerfield byelection in which Burnham secured a return to Westminster, that they would fight a leadership challenge from Burnham, or anyone else.
Downing Street reiterated this on Sunday, pointing to Starmer’s comments to reporters on Friday, after Burnham’s byelection win, in which the PM vowed that he would fight any challenge to his leadership.
Amid hopes on both sides of avoiding too much rancour and confusion, no cabinet ministers have publicly called for Starmer to go. Allies of Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, declined to comment on reports that she had privately urged the PM to step aside.
In the government, the widespread assumption has spread that Starmer will move on Monday. One source said: “I would expect him to do the right thing for the country, with some sort of timetable for departure, most likely around the autumn.”
While Kyle said he did not know what the next few days would entail, he said Starmer was thinking very carefully about his future and how to avoid damaging the national interest
Kyle said he had spoken at length to Starmer on Friday. “He was very mindful of the interests of the country, and in that conversation, he repeatedly said to me and asked my advice on what I believe the country wanted at this moment in different circumstances.”
Refusing to say what advice he had given, Kyle said of the Labour party: “We are a tight group of people, and we are now facing a period of political uncertainty, and we need to find a way to get through this that puts the country first. This is what we are trying to do.”
Asked if he would want a full contest to see who might replace Starmer, rather than the mooted coronation for Burnham, Kyle said that while contests were “better wherever possible, that needs to be balanced with the needs of maintaining authority of a party”.
It remains unclear whether Streeting or another candidate or candidates would challenge Burnham should Starmer step aside. Some in Labour believe a contest would help test Burnham and his policy platform, while others worry it could make the government appear gridlocked for weeks.
On Friday, ministers previously loyal to Starmer told him that he should reach a decision on a timetable for his departure by the end of the weekend or face being forced out of office, with an intervention at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting likely to result.
Trump confirms Starmer will resign as UK Prime Minister
Meanwhile, U.S. President, Donald Trump, has claimed that British Prime, Minister Keir Starmer, will step down from office, citing what he described as failures on immigration and energy policy.
Trump made the remarks in a post on his Truth Social platform yesterday, as Starmer faces mounting political pressure at home.
“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. He failed badly on two ` very important subjects – immigration and energy (OPEN NORTH SEA ` OIL!). I wish him ` well!” Trump wrote.
The U.S. president did not provide any evidence or indicate the source of his claim regarding Starmer’s departure.
Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, became prime minister after leading his party to victory in the UK general election.
His government has faced criticism over a range of issues, including migration and energy policy.
