Former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that he will resign as a Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras, just months after leaving office as Prime Minister.
Starmer said on Tuesday that he had decided to step down from the London constituency after 11 years in Parliament, triggering a by-election to determine his successor.
In a statement shared on social media, the former Labour leader said he wanted to turn his attention to international affairs, particularly defence, security, trade and technology.
He described the decision to leave Parliament as the right step at this stage of his career as global affairs continue to change rapidly.
From Labour leader to former PM
Starmer entered Parliament as the representative for Holborn and St Pancras 11 years ago and went on to lead the Labour Party for six years.
His departure from the leadership followed mounting pressure within Labour, with the party turning to Andy Burnham as his successor in the Prime Minister’s Office in July.
Starmer’s political career had reached its peak in 2024 when Labour secured a landslide victory at the UK general election, ending years of Conservative rule.
A former human rights lawyer, Starmer was credited with moving Labour towards the political centre and rebuilding its electoral appeal before the party’s decisive election victory.
Difficult period in government
His time in Downing Street, however, was marked by political challenges and declining public popularity.
Starmer faced criticism over a series of controversies and policy decisions during his roughly two years in office, increasing pressure from within his own party.
He eventually announced his resignation as Labour leader, paving the way for another change at the top of British politics.
His decision to now leave Parliament means Starmer will withdraw from frontline British electoral politics altogether and shift his attention towards international issues.
A by-election will be held in Holborn and St Pancras to elect the next MP for the constituency.
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