LONDON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer entered office after Labour secured a decisive victory in 2024. Within two years, however, he resigned following a series of local‑government losses that ignited widespread calls for his departure.
Starmer’s popularity waned amid a struggling economy, a string of policy missteps, a questionable appointment, and an apparent lack of vision.
These factors contributed to a disastrous local‑government showing in the spring elections and a succession of challenges that paved the way for a would‑be rival to unseat him on Monday.
This article examines how Starmer’s brief premiership unraveled.
Starmer’s inauguration on 4 July 2024 marked a profound shift for Labour, as the party captured 411 of 650 seats in Parliament, ending the Conservative Party’s 14‑year rule.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood praised Starmer for steering the party “from the brink back to power.”
In his victory speech, Starmer spoke of national renewal and change that would restore government support for “working people.”
“And now we can look forward,” he said. “Walk into the morning with the sunlight of hope, pale at first but growing stronger throughout the day, shining once again on a country that, after 14 years, can reclaim its future.”
Storm clouds appeared quickly.
Britain’s public finances were strained by the COVID‑19 pandemic and the ramifications of Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, leaving the government little capacity for large‑scale spending.
Voters, burdened by bills, had already cleared the Tories, but Labour’s initial economic strategies failed to deliver meaningful change.
Starmer and Treasury Secretary Rachel Reeves appeared overly pessimistic about the fiscal inheritance, dampening confidence and prompting businesses and consumers to hold back.
Their early policy initiatives were also unpopular.
Labour’s manifesto explicitly ruled out raising income and sales taxes; to address a fiscal shortfall, the government raised the payroll tax paid by businesses, leading many firms to cut hiring.
Further policy reversals, such as suspending proposed end‑to‑winter heating subsidies for retirees, retracting plans to curtail welfare spending, and easing an agricultural inheritance tax amid farmer protests, generated public backlash and compelled embarrassing U‑turns that eroded Starmer’s credibility.
Outside the economy, Starmer’s decision to launch a national inquiry into organized child sexual abuse, pressured by opposition politicians and public figures, further exposed inconsistency.
The appointment of veteran Labour figure Peter Mandelson as U.S. ambassador proved disastrous, given his close association with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The move initially seemed designed to win favour with former President Donald Trump, but revelations of Mandelson’s ties to Epstein led to his dismissal.
The appointment lingered in the public mind, with internal documents exposing a “reputational risk” designation and questions about a failed security background check.
Mandelson denied any wrongdoing.
Starmer’s standing crumbled further when Labour suffered a blowout in local elections, spurred by Reform UK’s gains and the Green Party siphoning left‑leaning voters.
More than 100 Labour MPs called for his resignation, and several ministers, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, resigned in protest, hinting at a potential intra‑party challenge.
A parliamentarian stepped aside to allow Andy Burnham, the popular Greater Manchester mayor, to contest the leadership. Following Burnham’s victory last week, Starmer spent the weekend in his country estate, weighing his options as party insiders urged him to set a resignation timetable.
On Monday morning, Starmer announced his resignation. Burnham was sworn in later that day, receiving a hero’s welcome in the House of Commons.
Whether another leader will emerge when Labour’s national executive committee opens nominations on 9 July remains to be seen.