Keir Starmer’s resignation statement in full as he stands down as MP
Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as MP for Holborn and St Pancras, just weeks after being replaced as prime minister and Labour leader by Andy Burnham following poor local election results in July. In a statement posted on X and confirmed to the Camden New Journal, Starmer said he had used the summer to reflect and decided it was "the right time" to hand over to a successor, choosing instead to focus on international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology, as well as continuing his long-standing work against violence against women and girls.
Starmer had represented the constituency since 2015, succeeding Frank Dobson, and thanked his local party and constituency staff for their support through his rise to Labour leader and the party's 2024 landslide election win. He reflected on achievements including affordable housing projects, education initiatives and the Camden Youth Safety Taskforce, as well as his record as prime minister stabilising the economy and rebuilding public services. A by-election process will now begin to select his successor, with Starmer pledging full support for the Labour candidate and continued backing for Burnham's government.
In short
- Starmer resigns as Holborn and St Pancras MP after quitting as PM
- He plans to focus on international affairs and violence against women/girls work
- A by-election will now be held to replace him
Explained simply
An MP is an elected representative for a constituency, a local area whose residents vote for someone to speak for them in Parliament. Holborn and St Pancras is in north London, and Starmer had represented it since 2015, before becoming Labour leader and prime minister.
Labour is one of the UK’s main political parties, and its leader usually becomes prime minister if the party wins a general election. When an MP leaves their seat, voters in that constituency choose a replacement in a by-election; the new MP may come from the same party, but the result is decided by voters.
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