UK ex-PM Starmer to quit parliament, focus on ‘international affairs’

Britain’s former prime minister Keir Starmer, who stepped down as leader this summer after a tumultuous two years in power, announced on Tuesday he would quit parliament to focus on “international affairs”.

In a statement on social media, Starmer said it was the “right time” to resign as the MP for the Holborn and St Pancras seat in London after 11 years, triggering a by-election.

“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,” Starmer said in his statement.

His constituency’s local newspaper, the Camden New Journal, reported Starmer had informed the Labour Party of his decision to leave parliament after 11 years, six of those as leader of the party.

Andy Burnham was parachuted into the prime minister role in July to take over from Starmer, who announced his resignation amid piling pressure from fellow Labour MPs.

Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, is credited with reviving the centre-left Labour Party, helping it win a landslide victory in general elections in 2024.

But the strait-laced politician was deeply unpopular during his two years in power, and eventually had to step down after multiple missteps, making way for the next leader in Britain’s churn of prime ministers.