Keir Starmer resigns as UK prime minister but will stay on until successor is chosen

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party. Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until a new Labour leader is chosen in the next few weeks. Starmer made the announcement after facing growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government's flagging fortunes. He has been in office since leading Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024. In those two years, his popularity and that of the party have plummeted. His departure was triggered by the victory of Andy Burnham in a special election last week. The popular ex-mayor of Greater Manchester planned to challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership.