September 1, 2026: Former British Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has announced that he will step down as a Member of Parliament, ending his 11-year career in the House of Commons just weeks after leaving office as prime minister.
Starmer announced his decision in a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, saying he would relinquish his seat representing Holborn and St Pancras in London.
Reflecting on his decision, Starmer said the summer parliamentary recess had given him an opportunity to think carefully about his future. He concluded that now was the right time to step away from parliamentary duties.
He described representing Holborn and St Pancras continuously for 11 years as both an “honour and a privilege.”
Although Starmer is leaving Parliament, he indicated that he does not intend to withdraw from public life or international affairs. He said he plans to devote more time in the future to global issues, particularly international relations, defence, global security, trade and technology.
He also pledged to continue working to fulfil his longstanding commitment to tackling violence against women and girls.
In his statement, Starmer reiterated his full support for new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the Labour government, signalling that his departure from Parliament does not represent a complete break with the party or British political affairs.
A senior barrister by profession, Starmer entered frontline politics after serving as Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales. He was first elected to Parliament in the 2015 general election, succeeding long-serving Labour MP Frank Dobson as the representative for Holborn and St Pancras.
Following Labour’s poor performance in the 2019 general election, Starmer succeeded Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader on April 4, 2020.
He subsequently led Labour to a historic victory in the July 4, 2024 general election, winning more than 400 seats and ending the Conservative Party’s 14-year period in government. The following day, July 5, 2024, he was sworn in as prime minister.
Looking back on his premiership, Starmer described taking Labour from its difficult position in 2019 to a decisive election victory in 2024 as one of the major achievements of his political career.
He also highlighted what he regarded as key accomplishments during his time in office, including maintaining economic stability, increasing investment in public services, raising spending on defence and national security, and taking measures aimed at reducing child poverty.
After serving as prime minister for nearly two years, Starmer announced his resignation on June 22, 2026, following the results of the 2026 local and regional elections and mounting internal pressure within the Labour Party.
Andy Burnham was subsequently elected as Labour’s new leader, and Starmer formally left 10 Downing Street on July 20.
His latest announcement brings another chapter of his political career to a close, formally ending his presence in Westminster after more than a decade as a member of the British Parliament.