Former UK prime minister Keir Starmer to stand down as MP

Former British prime minister Keir Starmer will stand down as a member of parliament, some six weeks after he resigned from government.

Starmer said in a statement on Tuesday that he was ready to “hand the baton to a successor”, standing down from his seat in north London’s Holborn and St Pancras.

“It’s been an honour and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country,” the statement said.

“But it is now time to step aside and focus on other issues: international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world.

“I will also continue working with others as I have done over many decades to tackle violence against women and girls.

“As I do that, I will always remain immensely proud to have represented the place Vic, the kids and I call home.”

A date will not be set for the by-election until Sir Keir formally resigns his Commons seat.

“Whoever is lucky enough to become the Labour candidate here will have my full support and backing and I will continue to give my full support to the Prime Minister and this Labour government,” Starmer said.

Starmer guided the Labour Party into power in 2024 with the biggest parliamentary majority in Britain’s modern history, but failed to connect with voters and steadily lost the support of the public and his party.

He was replaced in July by Andy Burnham , who became Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade.