Outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer used his final parliamentary grilling on Wednesday to pledge his full backing to Andy Burnham, the man poised to succeed him at 10 Downing Street. Speaking from the despatch box in the House of Commons, Starmer said he would offer his successor both private counsel and public encouragement.
“I will give my wholehearted support to my successor. I want this Labour government to be a success,” Starmer told MPs. “I want our country to be a success. I shall give my support privately if asked for, not publicly when not asked for.”
Burnham is expected to be formally confirmed as Labour leader on Friday after securing the backing of the party’s 403 MPs and major trade unions. Given Labour’s comfortable majority in the 650-seat House of Commons, his elevation to prime minister is all but assured. He will meet King Charles III on Monday to be asked to form a government, replacing Starmer after just two years in office.
A Tenure Marred by Turmoil
Starmer announced his resignation last month, yielding to mounting pressure after a series of scandals, policy U-turns, and missteps that defined his brief premiership. He had led Labour to a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, ending 14 years of Conservative rule, but his government quickly lost momentum.
In his farewell address, Starmer struck a defiant note. “In two years in government, I leave the country in better shape than I found it. I am proud of everything that we have achieved,” he said, though he acknowledged his political journey was ending—at least as leader. He plans to remain a backbench MP for now.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch offered a terse farewell, criticising Starmer for focusing on her party’s internal divisions while neglecting his own backbenchers. “He spent a long time laughing that I’d lost control of my party. I think he should have been paying attention to his backbenchers instead of mine,” she said. “Changing prime minister is not a silver bullet. Indeed, it may be that the Labour Party’s troubles are only just beginning.”
Badenoch added that solving Britain’s fundamental problems would require difficult decisions—a pointed reminder of the challenges awaiting Burnham.
A Football Fan’s Final Bow
The session ended on a lighter note when Starmer, an ardent football fan, wished MPs an emphatic “Goodbye” and noted he had a date with his television for the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina at 8:00 pm CET. MPs from all parties applauded, with some urging him to ensure England wins the match and goes on to beat Spain in Sunday’s final.
Starmer’s finance minister, Rachel Reeves, who is expected to lose her role in Burnham’s cabinet, was seen in tears as she sat beside him during the session. The emotional moment underscored the human cost of political transitions.
Burnham will become Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade, a statistic that highlights the country’s recent political instability. His ascent comes as the UK continues to navigate post-Brexit relations with the European Union, economic pressures, and security concerns heightened by the war in Ukraine. The Coalition of the Willing gathering in Paris ahead of Bastille Day has underscored the continent’s focus on supporting Kyiv, a priority Burnham is expected to maintain.
As Starmer steps aside, the Labour Party faces a critical test: whether a change at the top can restore public confidence and address the deep-seated problems Badenoch alluded to. For now, the outgoing prime minister has made clear he will not be a disruptive presence from the backbenches. “I shall give my support privately if asked for, not publicly when not asked for,” he repeated, a promise of discretion that may ease Burnham’s transition.
