Kathmandu, June 21: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly expected to resign from office today and announce a timetable for his departure.
The British newspaper The Observer reported that Starmer has concluded that his position is no longer sustainable. However, Downing Street has insisted that he remains committed to staying in office. According to Reuters, Starmer reached the decision to resign after consulting cabinet ministers, advisers, donors, and trade union leaders. The Prime Minister is currently at the official residence in Chequers discussing his future with his wife, Victoria Starmer. Senior members of the Labour Party expect a clear statement regarding his future by Monday.
Contradicting Downing Street’s claims, The Sun quoted a senior aide as saying that Starmer now has only a “25 percent chance” of remaining in office. More than 100 Labour MPs have already publicly called on him to resign, representing roughly one-quarter of the party’s parliamentary members.
The leadership crisis deepened following Andy Burnham’s decisive victory in the Makerfield by-election. According to Sky News, Burnham pledged after his victory to forge a new path for the country and wants the Prime Minister to hand over power voluntarily.
Burnham is scheduled to be sworn in at the House of Commons on Monday. Reports indicate that after taking the oath, he plans to meet Starmer and present a list of MPs who support him. Meanwhile, The Times has claimed that if Burnham becomes Prime Minister, he intends to remove the current Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, from her position. Advisers reportedly believe that Reeves does not adequately represent the party’s desired change in direction.
Starmer, who led Labour to a landslide majority in the 2024 general election, has become increasingly unpopular in recent months due to policy failures and various scandals. He has faced widespread criticism for failing to fulfill his promise of improving living standards and for being unable to control illegal immigration.
If Starmer resigns or is removed from office, Britain would have its seventh Prime Minister in just over a decade. Such political instability would further highlight the turbulent nature of the country’s governance in recent years. As recently as Friday, Starmer said he would fight any challenge to his leadership. However, analysts now suggest that the situation may be slipping beyond his control.
People’s News Monitoring Service.
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