Sir Keir Starmer has said he will quit as Labour Party leader, paving the way for a contest to decide a new prime minister.
Speaking in Downing Street, Sir Keir said he accepted he was not best placed to lead Labour into the next general election and he had informed the King of his decision to step down.
Sir Keir added he has asked Labour’s governing body to set out a timetable to replace him, with nominations opening on 9 July and ending by the summer recess on 16 July.
He said if there was a contest then a new leader would be in place before Parliament returns in September, and he will “do everything” he can to ensure an “orderly” transition of power.
Sir Keir said he would remain as prime minister until the leadership contest is complete.
He added he would also give his successor “my full and unequivocal support, knowing that they will inherit a Britain that is far stronger and fairer than the one I inherited two years ago”.
Andy Burnham is regarded by many as the frontrunner to replace Sir Keir after he secured an emphatic win over his Reform UK rival in last week’s Makerfield by-election.
Burnham announced on Monday that he would put himself forward as a candidate in the leadership contest, hours before he is expected to formally take up his seat as an MP.
His chances were given an immediate boost by former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who had been viewed as his main rival, offering his backing to the former Greater Manchester mayor.
Sir Keir was elected leader of the Labour Party in April 2020 and became prime minister on 5 July 2024 following Labour’s landslide general election victory.
He will leave Downing Street as the shortest-serving Labour prime minister in history.
His period in office will last longer than his Conservative predecessors Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss but behind all six previous Labour prime ministers.
Sir Keir’s decision to step down also means the UK will soon have its seventh prime minister since 2016. (BBC)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged Monday to prove the “doubters” in his own party and among the electorate wrong as he struggled to fight off growing demands to step down after devastating local election results for his Labour Party.
Starmer said he would “face up to the big challenges” and restore hope to the country, in part by forging closer ties with the European Union, six years after the UK’s acrimonious departure from the bloc.
“I know I have my doubters and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will,” Starmer said during a speech in London intended to kickstart his fightback against detractors.
It did not appear to have the intended effect. In the hours after the speech a steady stream of Labour lawmakers spoke to the media or posted on social media saying Starmer should resign, either now or soon.
Several of those calling for him to go were ministerial aides, in an apparently coordinated move aimed at putting pressure on Starmer’s Cabinet to deliver an ultimatum, perhaps at its weekly meeting on Tuesday.
Labour has been plunged into gloom by heavy losses last week in local elections across England and legislative votes in Scotland and Wales. The elections have been interpreted as an unofficial referendum on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he swept to power in a landslide less than two years ago.
Starmer’s government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living, and been hamstrung by repeated missteps and policy U-turns on issues including welfare reform. He has been further hurt by his disastrous decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.
Last week’s elections saw Labour squeezed from both right and left, losing votes to both Reform UK and the “eco-populist” Green Party. The result reflects the increasing fragmentation of British politics, long dominated by Labour and the Conservatives.
Starmer had hoped to regain momentum with his speech and an ambitious set of legislative plans to be set out in a speech Wednesday by King Charles III at the State Opening of Parliament.
In Monday’s speech, he vowed to prove to millions of people “tired of a status quo that has failed them” that the government is on their side.
He said Labour is in “a battle for the soul of our nation,” and warned Britain will go down “a dark path” if Reform UK, the anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage, comes to power.
Starmer told an audience of party lawmakers and activists that the government will take control of Britain’s energy, economic and defense security and make the country fairer. He announced plans to nationalize what is left of the once-mighty British Steel, a move that could save some industrial jobs in an area where working-class voters have deserted Labour for Reform UK.
Starmer also pledged to put Britain “at the heart of Europe” and forge closer ties with the 27-nation EU. Farage, who spearheaded the Brexit campaign, and Reform UK oppose any move to get closer to the EU.
Brexit has been a drag on the British economy, and President Donald Trump’s “America First” economic and foreign policy has spurred Britain to seek closer defense, security and economic cooperation with its European neighbors.
Labour supporters are largely anti-Brexit, which failed to deliver the benefits its backers promised. But Starmer has been reluctant to reopen a debate that bitterly divided the country. He has ruled out seeking to reenter the EU, or to rejoin the bloc’s customs union or single market, things that would make a big economic difference.
British politics allows parties to change leader midterm without the need for a new election.
None of the high-profile Labour politicians considered potential challengers to Starmer — including former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham — has yet called for him to resign.
Rayner did not explicitly call for Starmer to quit, but accused him of presiding over “a toxic culture of cronyism” and said the government must “stay true to Labour and social democratic values” and ease the cost of living for working people.
Labour lawmaker Catherine West, who had vowed to trigger a leadership challenge if Monday’s speech didn’t mark a major turning point, said she would hold off for now, though she urged Starmer to resign by September.
More than 60 other lawmakers, out of Labour’s total of 403, also urged him to announce a departure date, with the number ticking up in the hours after the speech.
“I don’t think we saw a plan from the prime minister this morning in order to implement the kind of change that this country needs,,” lawmaker Chris Curtis told Sky News.
Another legislator, Joe Morris, said: “the message from last week’s elections was clear: The prime minister has lost the confidence of the public.”
But some who attended Starmer’s speech said kicking out the man who led them to victory in 2024 would be counterproductive.
“You can’t be changing prime ministers two years in,” said Kevin Craig, a former local councilor in London. “It’s really important we stay grown-up now.” (JapanToday)
The UK and French governments signed a new multimillion-euro deal on Thursday aimed at reducing the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, with increased police patrols and enhanced surveillance in northern France.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez formally endorsed the three-year agreement during a joint visit to the Dunkirk region.
Mahmood praised the new deal as providing “the right mix of skills and capabilities that we know will work on the beaches in order to reduce the crossings.”
Nuñez said that it will help in “combating illegal immigration networks, human trafficking networks, which are obviously extremely harmful.”
Under the agreement, the UK will provide 500 million pounds ($675 million) to strengthen measures in northern France, with an additional 160 million pounds ($216 million) depending on the success of new tactics to curb Channel crossings. If those efforts fail, the additional funding will be halted after one year, the UK Home Office said.
The plan aims at increasing the number of officers deployed on the ground from 907 now to 1,392 for the 2026—2029 period, along with the creation of an additional police unit dedicated to combating irregular migration, funded by France, the French Interior Ministry said.
It will also include the deployment of new technologies aimed at reducing departures of “taxi boats,” the term authorities use for small motorized vessels that are typically inflatable and used by smugglers to pick up migrants along long stretches of the northern French coast.
Unlike boats that migrants carry into the water themselves, “taxi boats” typically set off largely empty from secluded coastal areas and pick up migrants at prearranged meeting points on beaches.
The deal also expands surveillance capabilities through drones, helicopters and electronic monitoring, to better prevent crossing attempts.
“Our work with the French has already stopped tens of thousands of crossings and this government has deported or returned nearly 60,000 people with no right to be here,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
Since taking office nearly two years ago, Starmer’s center-left Labour government has pushed through a series of policies that it hopes will sharply reduce immigration.
Small boat crossings have become a potent political issue in the UK over recent years. Anger at the seeming inability of successive governments to get a handle on the issue has been behind a series of demonstrations and riots over the past few years and fueled the rise of the hard-right Reform UK party, which has been leading in opinion polls for more than a year and is predicted to make sweeping gains in a raft of elections on May 7. (JapanToday)
Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in Saudi Arabia as he visits Gulf allies after the US and Iran agreed a two-week ceasefire.
The prime minister is expected to “discuss diplomatic efforts to support and uphold the ceasefire”, according to No 10. He will return to the UK on Friday.
The ceasefire comes after Donald Trump threatened “a whole civilisation will die” if Iran did not agree to end the war and unblock the Strait of Hormuz – comments that led Downing Street to call again for “de-escalation”.
Sir Keir said: “I welcome the ceasefire agreement reached overnight, which will bring a moment of relief to the region and the world.”
He added: “Together with our partners we must do all we can to support and sustain this ceasefire, turn it into a lasting agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.”
Sir Keir is also expected to meet UK military personnel in the region as part of his Gulf trip, which was planned before the ceasefire announcement.
For the Conservatives, shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly told BBC Breakfast the ceasefire is an “opportunity for Iran to make some serious choices” about how it behaves at home and abroad.
Former foreign secretary Sir James said the war was initiated to ensure Iran “never acquires a nuclear weapon” and that remains an “absolute priority”, adding: “So we’ll welcome this two-week ceasefire, but it’s time that mustn’t be wasted.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey welcomed the ceasefire but questioned whether the UK could trust Trump, labelling him a “totally unreliable ally”.
Sir Ed said the Strait of Hormuz needed to be opened otherwise people would “pay a heavy price in inflation and lower growth”, adding: “So whatever it takes, but I do think we’ve got to stand up to America.
“America has caused this problem so we’ve got to work with allies who we can trust.”
Last week the UK hosted a virtual summit in which representatives from more than 40 countries began work to assemble a coalition capable of ensuring security in the Strait after the fighting has stopped.
This was followed by a military planning conference on Tuesday.
Iran and the US agreed to the conditional ceasefire on Tuesday, just over an hour before the expiry of the deadline Trump had set for Iran to make a deal.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the ceasefire was “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz”.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Iran would agree to a ceasefire “if attacks against Iran are halted”.
“For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible,” he added.
The war began in February, when the US and Israel launched co-ordinated attacks on Iran over concerns Tehran was accelerating efforts towards building a nuclear weapon.
In response, Iran has launched strikes on its neighbours across the Gulf and the wider Middle East.
It also placed a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that serves as a critical shipping route through which a fifth of the world’s energy shipments usually transits.
The conflict caused the price of crude oil to spike, with sharp increases in petrol and diesel costs, leading to concerns about the cost of living in countries across the world. (BBC)
Oluwole Oke, chairman of the house of representatives committee on foreign affairs, says President Bola Tinubu’s two-day official visit to the United Kingdom has repositioned Nigeria on the global stage.
Following an invitation from King Charles III, Tinubu departed Abuja on Tuesday for London, accompanied by his wife and other top government officials.
The state visit, scheduled to end on Thursday, represents the highest level of diplomatic engagement hosted by the British monarchy and marks the first visit of such scale by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years.
Speaking on Channels Television on Wednesday, Oke, who represents Obokun/Oriade federal constituency of Osun state in the green chamber, said beyond economic benefits, Tinubu’s UK visit has elevated Nigeria’s profile internationally.
“This state visit is not just an honour to the President and his family, but to all Nigerians,” he said.
“For the United Kingdom to invite a president on a state visit, they must have strong confidence in our reforms and in the governance under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
During the visit, Tinubu is expected to meet with Keir Starmer, UK prime minister, in a high-level bilateral engagement aimed at strengthening ties between Nigeria and Britain.
Reports indicate that a major highlight of the visit is the signing of a £746 million financing agreement between UK export finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Oke said at the end of the visit, the British government will be looking forward to numerous opportunities for partnership between the two countries.
He also noted the importance of the maritime deal, which he said, would create jobs and generate huge revenue for the federal government.
“This kind of investment will have linkage effects that will snowball into employment,” he said.
“Participants in that sector will make profits, pay taxes, and, as you know, public finance relies on taxation. So, it is a positive development, and there will be many win-win outcomes. This invitation has further repositioned Nigeria on the global stage.” (TheCable)
The United Kingdom and Nigeria have sealed new export agreements as both countries committed to taking their economic partnership to another level, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday.
Starmer made the disclosure during a bilateral meeting with President Bola Tinubu at 10 Downing Street on the second day of the Nigerian leader’s historic state visit to Britain.
“Today is the opportunity to take that to another level with the agreements that we’ve been able to reach on exports, and I think that shows we can go even further than we’ve already gone,” the British Prime Minister stated.
Tinubu, in his remarks, revealed that Nigeria is currently undergoing “very strong reform of the economy” and linked the terrorism challenges facing West Africa to climate change conflict.
“We need more trade agreements and economic relationships that we build between nations. Nigeria is currently going through a very strong reform of the economy,” Tinubu said during the meeting at 10 Downing Street.
The President described Nigeria as facing significant challenges, stating, “The largest country in West Africa, and on the continent, is challenged by terrorism coming from the conflict of climate change.”
Tinubu emphasised that both countries face global economic challenges, noting, “Currently, the entire world is challenged. Nigeria is not immune. Britain is not immune.”
He said the discussions focused on the “economic welfare of the people and how we can work together to improve livelihood” amid economic volatility.
The President affirmed that Thursday’s bilateral discussions would address what Britain can do to “accelerate the friendship, partnership and collaboration” between both nations.
On his part, Prime Minister Starmer described the visit as historic, noting it was the first inward state visit for 37 years by a Nigerian leader.
“The long and shared history between our countries is obvious and much valued, as is the people-to-people contact and engagement that enriches lives here in the United Kingdom,” Starmer said.
He noted that both countries already collaborate on economy, defence, and security matters but expressed determination to deepen the partnership.
“Today is the opportunity to take that to another level with the agreements that we’ve been able to reach on exports,” the Prime Minister stated.
Nigeria became the United Kingdom’s biggest export market in Africa in January 2026, with bilateral trade continuing to expand.
King Charles III had disclosed on Wednesday night at a state banquet that visitors from Nigeria spent £178m in Britain in 2024, while 251,000 people from Britain travelled to Nigeria and spent just as much in return.
The state visit, which began on Wednesday, March 18, saw the signing of several memoranda of understanding and agreements covering trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation.
A major outcome already announced is a £746m financing deal involving UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Ministry of Finance for the refurbishment of Lagos Port Complex (Apapa) and Tin Can Island Port.
The bilateral meeting at Downing Street followed Wednesday night’s state banquet at Windsor Castle, where King Charles III acknowledged “painful marks” in the shared history between both nations while praising Nigeria’s transformation and the contributions of the Nigerian diaspora to British society.
The state visit, the first by a Nigerian president since 1989 when former military leader Ibrahim Babangida was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, concludes on Thursday with President Tinubu expected to return to Nigeria. (Punch)
The Iranian and Russian regimes are “brothers in hatred”, Volodymyr Zelensky has told MPs and peers, as he warned about the dangers of drone warfare.
Addressing around 120 parliamentarians in a Westminster committee room, the Ukrainian president highlighted how Tehran was selling Shahed ‘kamikaze’ drones to Moscow, which had been used in Ukraine.
He also warned against easing sanctions on Russian oil, saying it was “crucial” to keep up the pressure against Moscow.
The US has temporarily eased sanctions on some Russian oil in an attempt to tackle surging prices triggered by the conflict in the Middle East.
Among those in the audience in a packed committee room were Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte, Defence Secretary John Healey and leaders of opposition parties.
In his speech, Zelensky sought to link the headline-generating war in the Middle East with the long-running conflict in Ukraine.
He argued that Ukrainians were now pioneers in modern warfare and schooled in techniques they could share with allies.
In its fight against Russia, Ukraine has been using cheap, mass-produced interceptor drones to defend its skies.
Zelensky said there were now 201 Ukrainian military experts in the Middle East, with another 44 ready to deploy, who were sharing their knowledge on how to defend against Iranian drones.
He added that Ukraine was “ready to offer similar deals to all our reliable partners”.
On a TV screen, Zelensky demonstrated how Ukraine was mapping Russian strikes and defensive action against them in real time.
He explained how using technology as simple as an iPad allowed Ukrainian commanders to control the country’s security.
Zelensky added that during a meeting earlier at Buckingham Palace, he gave the King the iPad “as a sign of respect and gratitude”, to “strengthen our cooperation with the United Kingdom”.
Earlier, Sir Keir said “the focus must remain on Ukraine” despite the Iran war, ahead of a meeting with Zelensky.
Welcoming the Ukrainian leader to No 10, the prime minister said: “Putin can’t be the one who benefits from a conflict in Iran, whether that’s oil prices or the dropping of sanctions.”
During their meeting, the leaders agreed a new defence partnership aimed at tackling cheap attack drones.
Downing Street said the deal would bring together “Ukrainian expertise and the UK’s industrial base” to manufacture and supply drones and other capabilities.
Under the partnership between the UK and Ukraine, closer co-operation in the defence industries will also be sought with third countries as part of efforts to bolster international security.
Britain will also give £500,000 to fund an AI centre of excellence in Kyiv.
It comes as the US-Israeli war with Iran enters a third week, while US President Donald Trump continues to criticise the UK and other countries over the extent of their response to the conflict.
Rising oil prices are fuelling Russia’s war machine, while Ukraine’s allies are distracted and divided over the Middle East.
Zelensky is currently on a tour of European capitals to shore up support and keep his conflict at the forefront of allies’ minds. (BBC)
President Bola Tinubu has met Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer as part of his two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
They met on the steps of 10 Downing Street in central London on Thursday.
The president’s historic state visit to the UK is the first state visit by a Nigerian president in 37 years (since the last one before the return to democracy in 1999).
Tinubu arrived in the UK on Tuesday, where he was received by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
The visit included royal engagements, a state banquet, and discussions on various bilateral issues. It involved closed-door bilateral talks.
The president is expected to sign a £746 million financing deal related to port infrastructure, along with other agreements/MoUs on trade, defence, and culture.
Today also marks the final day of the visit, after a farewell from the royal family. (Channels)
Sir Keir Starmer has defended the government’s approach to the conflict in Iran, saying protecting British nationals is his “number one priority”.
It comes after President Trump criticised the prime minister for refusing to allow the use of UK bases in the initial US-Israel strikes on Saturday, saying he is “no Winston Churchill”.
During Prime Minister’s Questions Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of “asking our allies to do what we should be doing ourselves” by not taking “offensive action” after British bases in Bahrain and Cyprus were attacked.
But the PM said he was not prepared for the UK to join a war without “a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan”.
On Sunday the UK agreed to a US request to use British military bases but only for defensive strikes on Iranian missile sites.
However, Trump has responded angrily to Sir Keir’s refusal to be involved in the initial strikes, describing the decision as “shocking” and saying the UK-US relationship was “not what it was”.
Dismissing suggestions the relationship between the two countries had been weakened, Sir Keir said US planes operating out of British bases was “the special relationship in action” not “hanging on to President Trump’s latest words”.
Sir Keir said: “We’re taking action to reduce the threat with planes in the sky in the region intercepting incoming strikes, deploying more capability to Cyprus, and allowing US planes to use UK bases to take out Iran’s capability to strike.
“What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. That remains my position.”
The PM said the government had also been pre-deploying capabilities in the region for a number of weeks, including radar systems, ground-based air defence, counter-drone systems and F35 jets.
He added that wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities would be in Cyprus this week, with a Royal Navy warship, HMS Dragon, also deployed to the region.
However, Badenoch accused the PM of “catching arrows rather than stopping the archer” in his approach.
“I would say to Labour MPs, we are in this war whether they like it or not. What is the prime minister waiting for?” she added.
She pointed out HMS Dragon was still in Portsmouth and the government “should be doing more”.
The Conservative leader also criticised the government for not investing more in defence.
In response, Sir Keir accused the Conservatives of cutting the defence budget, missing Army recruitment targets and leaving forces “hollowed out” when they were in government.
Following PMQs, western officials said HMS Dragon was expected to sail from Portsmouth next week, with the warship currently being loaded with ammunition.
Two Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters, armed with Martlet missiles capable of shooting down drones, are expected to arrive in Cyprus separately and sooner.
A western official said that so far US bombers have not used the British bases of Diego Garcia or RAF Fairford – but said the UK was ready to accept them. The official said he expected them to arrive within the next few days.
Earlier, former Conservative Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he thought the prime minister had “made a big misjudgement” by not allowing the US to use British military bases for offensive strikes on Iran.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that international law was “not settled on this issue” and depended on whether there was an imminent risk of attack from Iran.
Hunt said the Americans had a significant role in defending Europe and in this situation, “to weaken our alliance with the United States was a big mistake”.
“President Trump is not interested in that rules-based order,” Hunt said.
“He’s said so absolutely explicitly. And we have to recognise the brute strength of the American military is something we depend on now in Europe and will depend on for at least a decade.”
Gen Sir Richard Shirreff, a retired British Army officer, said the UK “has got to focus on its interests” because “America has made it clear it’s not going to underwrite European security”.
Sir Richard, Nato’s former deputy supreme allied commander Europe, said it was in Britain’s interest to protect its military bases abroad.
“There is absolutely a case for getting involved,” Sir Richard said. “But I would not get involved in any way, shape or form in an operation where the end-stage is not clear.
“There is clearly no strategy and yet again we have an American president who has launched a war of choice with no clear understanding where this thing is going to end.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday his government was writing to the Commonwealth realms that it would back the removal for former prince Andrew from the line of royal succession.
Albanese said he had been in touch with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the former royal who is being investigated for alleged misconduct in public office, after new revelations of his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Australia likes being first and we have made sure that everyone knows what our position is and we’ll be writing today to the other realm countries as well, informing them of our position,” Albanese told public broadcaster ABC.
Albanese told reporters that Australians were “disgusted” by the “grave” revelations.
“King Charles has said that the law must now take its full course. There must be a full, fair and proper investigation. And that needs to occur,” he added.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s office said it would also back such a move, in a statement to media on Tuesday.
“The bottom line is no one is above the law, and once that investigation is closed, should the UK government decide to remove him from the line of succession, that is something we would support,” Luxon told reporters after the statement was released.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, is the third child of late Queen Elizabeth II.
He is currently eighth in the royal line of succession, behind Prince William; William’s children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis; William’s brother Prince Harry; and Harry’s children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Last week, Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential government documents while in public office. The allegations originate from documents released by the US Department of Justice as part of the so-called Epstein Files.
The UK Police released Mountbatten-Windsor “under investigation” after 11 hours in custody but the arrest itself was unprecedented in modern British history.
Mountbatten Windsor has denied any wrongdoing over his ties to Epstein, having been named by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre in her posthumous memoir, but has not responded to the latest allegations.
In response to the investigation, the British government said it was considering introducing legislation to ensure the former prince could never be king. The Commonwealth realms would also have to consent to the move for a formal removal. (DW)
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