UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Reportedly To Resign After Overwhelming Pressure From Labour MPs
· YEN.com.gh News · Join- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce his resignation on Monday amid overwhelming pressure from Labour MPs
- Business Secretary Peter Kyle acknowledged the political forces challenging Starmer's leadership, stopping short of confirming his plans
- Andy Burnham, who won the Makerfield byelection, is widely tipped to succeed Starmer as Labour leader
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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce his resignation on June 22.
This follows mounting pressure from Labour MPs urging him to stand aside in favour of Andy Burnham.
Source: Getty Images
The Guardian reported that Secretary Peter Kyle, speaking on behalf of the government on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, declined to confirm Starmer's specific plans.
But he acknowledged the political pressure the prime minister was facing.
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“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.”
Starmer and his allies had repeatedly insisted in recent weeks that they would contest any leadership challenge.
As recently as June 19, Downing Street reiterated that the prime minister would fight any challenge to his leadership.
However, Kyle suggested Starmer's thinking had since shifted. Kyle said he spoke at length to the prime minister on Friday, describing him as being "very mindful of the interests of the country."
He added that Starmer "repeatedly said to me and asked my advice on what I believe the country wanted at this moment in different circumstances," though Kyle declined to reveal what advice he offered.
Kyle also urged the Labour Party to handle any leadership transition carefully, warning against repeating the internal chaos that plagued the Conservative Party. "Learn the lessons of the Tories and make sure that any change that may or may not happen is done functionally, and in a way that keeps the government focused on the needs of the people," he said.
Source: AFP
Burnham is widely expected to be Starmer's successor, with some senior figures backing a swift coronation rather than a prolonged internal contest. Kyle acknowledged that while leadership contests were "better wherever possible," they needed to be "balanced with the needs of maintaining authority of a party."
In a pointed remark directed at those counting on Burnham to reverse Labour's declining fortunes, Kyle cautioned that the Conservatives had repeatedly fallen into the trap of believing "that changing the person at the top would fix everything, and that palpably, patently, is not the case."
Kyle is a close ally of former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who resigned last month and has also declared his intention to run for the Labour leadership, signalling that a competitive contest for the party's top role remains possible.
Starmer is expected to make a formal announcement on Monday, though Downing Street had not confirmed the timing at the time of publication.
UK bans social media for kids, Starmer gives reasons
YEN.com.gh reported that Starmer triggered strong reactions over his announcement to ban children under 16 from accessing social media
The UK Prime Minister, in a video message, outlined the reasons behind the decision taken by the government.
Source: YEN.com.gh