Starmer Is Out: Can Burnham Bring New Hope to Britain? | Peter Oborne | MEE Opinion

Jun 24, 2026 | Peter Oborne, associate editor at Middle East Eye, argues that after years of failed policies at home and abroad, the UK needs a different kind of prime minister.

Oborne says that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer attempted to emulate former Prime Minister Tony Blair by turning against the Labour left and cultivating relationships with billionaires.

He argues that Andy Burnham could succeed by embracing a different style of politics. “So long as he remembers to govern in the interests of ordinary people and not billionaires; to keep his integrity, resist blandishments and be himself, Burnham stands a chance of succeeding when so many have failed,” Oborne says.


Although I was never one of Starmer’s greatest fans, this synopsis should not be construed as necessarily reflecting my own views. These views are Peter Oborne’s and should therefore be received as such. As for Andy Burnham, I know far too little about him yet to have any strong views on him or his abilities. — © Mark Alexander

Starmer Quits But British Democracy Wins Again

June 23, 2026 | Keir Starmer's resignation less than two years after winning a landslide election may appear to highlight instability, but it instead showcases one of the greatest strengths of Britain's parliamentary democracy. Unlike presidential systems centred on one individual, the UK allows governing parties to replace leaders when they lose the confidence of their MPs, ensuring accountability without constitutional turmoil. Starmer's departure and Andy Burnham's swift emergence as his successor demonstrate that political power rests with Parliament and the elected majority rather than any single leader.

ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.

American politics STINKS of CORRUPTION. — © Mark Alexander

Why Does Britain Keep Changing Prime Ministers? | Global News Podcast

June 22, 2026 | British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has resigned, ending months of speculation about his future.

His Labour party had a landslide election victory in 2024.

He'd been under growing pressure to step aside since his main leadership rival Andy Burnham secured a seat in parliament.

Britain is now on the verge of getting its seventh prime minister in a decade.

Our UK political correspondent Rob Watson tells us why things went wrong for Keir Starmer so quickly.


The root cause of all this political instability is that damn Brexit! Fie on Farage! I'm not at all sure that Andy Burnham will do much better than Starmer, either. Marginally, perhaps. But until we get back into the European Union, this instability is likely to be the order of the day. — © Mark Alexander

Starmer Announces He Will Resign as Labour Party Leader

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A sagging economy and policy flip-flops had fueled demands for Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain to step down. The announcement means he has set out a timetable for his departure as prime minister.

This screenshot is from this NYT article. | Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain outside 10 Downing Street in London on Monday. | Jaimi Joy/Reuters
Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain announced his resignation on Monday, bowing to a mutiny inside his party and a challenge to his leadership of the country.

Mr. Starmer said he would remain as prime minister until a new party leader is selected, likely by September, rather than fight to remain in the job he won almost two years ago.

The announcement makes Andy Burnham, who won a seat in Parliament on Thursday, the most likely candidate to win control of the Labour Party and become the prime minister.

The former mayor of Greater Manchester, Mr. Burnham is Labour’s most popular politician. His resounding victory last week in a special election, where he received almost 55 percent of the vote, energized his bid to oust the prime minister.

Mr. Starmer’s tenure as Britain’s leader began with Labour’s election victory in 2024, when the party won a large parliamentary majority. But it was on a record-low vote share of 34 percent, prompting analysts to call the victory a “loveless landslide.”

His time in office was increasingly defined by political decline, which left him looking weak, indecisive and not in command of his own party.

In recent weeks, Mr. Starmer had repeatedly vowed to fight any challenge to his position — by Mr. Burnham or anyone else — saying he was unwilling to walk away from his responsibility to Britain.

But in the end, he appeared to accept the political reality that came with being one of the least popular prime ministers in modern British history. U.K. Live Updates » | Michael D. Shear | Reporting from London | Monday, June 22, 2026

LESEN SIE AUCH:

Nur zwei Jahre nach Erdrutschsieg: Britischer Premier Starmer tritt zurück: Keir Starmer zieht nach wachsendem Druck aus der Labour-Partei die Konsequenzen. Bis zur Wahl eines Nachfolgers im September will er Regierungschef Großbritanniens bleiben. »

À LIRE AUSSI :

Royaume-Uni : le premier ministre britannique Keir Starmer annonce sa demission : Le premier ministre, très impopulaire, avait répété vendredi qu’il se battrait pour rester au pouvoir mais la pression a continué de monter ce week-end. Andy Burnham, le maire du Grand Manchester, est le grand favori pour lui succéder. »

Michael Lambert: Britain's 7th Prime Minister In 10 Years — Can Burnham Succeed Where All Others Failed?

Jun 19, 2026 | Britain is about to get its 7th Prime Minister in just ten years. Cameron ran away. May triggered Article 50 too early and locked us out of the Single Market. Johnson's charm couldn't hide the lies. Truss crashed the economy in 49 days. Sunak did his best on a sinking ship. And Starmer — a ditherer, lacking charisma, with lamentable judgement from day one. Now Andy Burnham waits in the wings — and the question is whether he will be any different.

In this video I look at why every Prime Minister since 2015 has failed the British people, what they all had in common, and why the answer, as it always has been, comes back to Brexit.

Burnham has charm, real experience and the communication skills his predecessor so sorely lacked. But his success depends on two things: a credible plan to grow the economy through investment and productivity — and, most importantly of all, the courage to declare that Britain will begin the process of rejoining the European Union. If he fails to do that, he will join a very long and undistinguished queue.

With a new Prime Minister change, the UK faces its seventh leader in ten years. I analyze if this transition can actually improve government effectiveness.

This video examines the rapid turnover in political leadership that has defined the last decade of British politics. We trace the timeline back to the referendum held nearly ten years ago to understand why the country has cycled through so many heads of state in such a short window. It is essential context for anyone trying to make sense of the current political climate.

Beyond just the numbers, I provide my perspective on whether this latest Prime Minister change offers a genuine path toward stability. We break down the challenges facing the new administration and evaluate the potential for different outcomes compared to previous leaders.

By the end of this analysis, you will have a clearer view of the structural issues impacting political leadership and what effectiveness might actually look like in this new term.


A fine assessment of the situation which no sensible person could argue with. Like Michael Lambert, I am very keen for Brexit to be reversed at the very earliest convenience. Brexit has been a very big negative influence on this country's economy, and it has robbed us Britons of many European rights.as well. It has brought us no discernible benefits.

How just a few troublemakers can turn the fortunes of a nation around. The gift of the gab in the wrong person with the wrong ideas can be fatal! — © Mark Alexander

Starmer Facing Pressure from Ministers and Labour Grandees to Prepare for ‘Orderly Exit’

THE GUARDIAN: Prime minister said to be calling cabinet members but faces growing consensus that his time in Downing Street is over

Cabinet ministers and Labour grandees are to urge Keir Starmer not to fight a leadership challenge and to prepare for an “orderly exit,” the Guardian understands.

Andy Burnham, who won a compelling majority in the Makerfield byelection overnight, is expected to travel to London on Monday to meet MPs in the expectation of becoming prime minister within weeks.

One MP said they believed there were about 200 Labour MPs prepared – if necessary – to sign Burnham’s nomination papers for a challenge.

Starmer was said to be calling members of the cabinet on Friday afternoon to set out his determination to fight on. At least two, Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood, have previously suggested to the prime minister that he should set out a timetable for his departure. » | Jessica Elgot and Rowena Mason | Friday, June 19, 2026

John Healey Quitting Defence Puts a Time Bomb under No 10. He Is a Loyalist: This Is No Ordinary Departure

THE GUARDIAN: He served through the eras of Blair, Brown, Miliband and Corbyn in a party that knows and respects him. It will matter that even his patience has run out

This screenshot is from this Guardian op-ed. | Keir Starmer (left) and John Healey in March 2025. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images
John Healey is not a rash man. Slow to anger, calm in a crisis, loyal and yet beneath it all, formidably determined. He stuck at it through the Jeremy Corbyn years, much as he privately despaired of where the party was heading, keeping his thoughts to himself because all he wanted was for Labour to win again. When it did, under Keir Starmer, he became the understated anchor to a frequently gale-tossed ship of government; the solid citizen everybody liked and nobody distrusted, a natural choice for caretaker leader had Starmer ever fallen under a bus.

Or, perhaps, been pushed under a tank.

For a defence secretary to resign weeks before a critical Nato summit, in the middle of conflict in the Gulf and on the eve of a domestic byelection which will determine his party’s future, is extraordinary in itself. But it’s that bayonet of a resignation letter – painting the prime minister as weak and impotent, incapable even of finding the money to keep the nation safe – that now threatens to finish off an already badly wounded premiership. » | Gaby Hinsliff | Thursday, June 11, 2026

ALSO READ:

Polite but deadly: John Healey skewers Keir Starmer as he heads for the door: The defence secretary’s departure was the wrong resignation at the worst possible time for the prime minister »

Breaking: I Just Got Banned from the UK! What Got Me Banned?

June 1, 2026

Starmer is the banning dude! First, it was pleasure, by banning cigarettes for adults; now, it is the truth by banning Cenk Uygur for criticizing Israel. What will the banning dude be banning next, I wonder? — © Mark Alexander

Hasan Piker & Cenk Uygur Banned from UK for Criticizing Israel

June 1, 2026

Very strong language alert!

Two US political commentators banned from entering UK: Home Office says presence of Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker in UK ‘may not be conducive to the public good’ »

UK Will Get No Special Treatment from EU, European Ministers Say

THE GUARDIAN: There will be ‘no cherrypicking’ of policies, EU says, after Starmer says he hopes to negotiate single market for goods

This screenshot comes from this Guardian> article. | Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
The UK will get no special treatment in its future economic relationship with the EU, European ministers have said, in a further blow to Keir Starmer’s hopes of negotiating a single market for goods.

The EU’s ministers for Europe, who met on Tuesday, said they wanted deeper cooperation with the UK, but this had to be in line with fundamental principles, including no cherrypicking of EU policies, according to three diplomatic sources, who spoke about the private discussions.

The Guardian revealed last week that the government had pitched the creation of a single market for goods between the UK and EU to Brussels, but the proposal was rejected by EU officials.

A single market for goods, long hinted at by the prime minister and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, would be a radical departure for the EU. Since the Brexit vote nearly a decade ago EU leaders have said that the single market encompassed four freedoms: free movement of goods, services, capital and people.

Europe ministers had no appetite for the British proposal of free movement of goods only, although the idea was only briefly mentioned at Tuesday’s meeting, EU sources said. “Member states reaffirmed the established legal framework underpinning the relationship and negotiations, with continued emphasis on the indivisibility of the four freedoms, balance of right and obligations, autonomy of EU decision making and the avoidance of cherrypicking,” an EU diplomat said. » | Jennifer Rankin and Lisa O’Carroll in Brussels | Wednesday, May 27, 2026

This is the kind of mess a country gets itself into when, instead of listening to reason and common sense, it listens to the rantings of a charlatan! We Brits didn’t recognize a good thing when we had it! All those opt-outs and all! Thatcher must be rolling over in her grave!

Now, we Brits will have to eat humble pie; and humble pie will indeed have to be eaten, however unpleasant and however unpalatable the taste. Our future depends on it. And Europe’s does, too.

In this tumultuous world, Europe must be united. It must function as one. This country’s place is in Europe. We should act as a brotherhood, seeking peace and prosperity. So, a half measure will not do in the long run. This country needs to regain full membership of the exclusive club. Only then will Britain, and Europe, begin to realize their full potential on the world stage. Long live Britain! Vive l’UE ! Vive l’Europe ! — © Mark Alexander

Großbritannien: Starmer unter Druck – Britisches Pfund fällt

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Hohe Energiepreise und innenpolitische Unsicherheiten belasten die britische Wirtschaft. Die Währung Pfund Sterling fällt.

Britische Staatsanleihen, Aktien und das Pfund Sterling sind am Freitag gefallen, wie die Nachrichtenagentur Reuters berichtet. Innenpolitische Unsicherheit und Sorgen um einen Inflationsschock infolge des Iran-Kriegs trugen dem Bericht zufolge dazu bei.

Das Pfund fiel laut Reuters auf ein Fünf-Wochen-Tief und verlor in dieser Woche fast zwei Prozent gegenüber dem US-Dollar. Damit steuert die britische Währung dem Bericht zufolge auf den größten Wochenverlust seit November 2024 zu. Zuletzt fiel der Kurs demnach um 0,3 Prozent auf 1,3364 US-Dollar, nachdem er zuvor mit 1,3335 US-Dollar den niedrigsten Stand seit über fünf Wochen erreicht hatte. » | Anika Schlünz | Freitag, 15. Mai 2026

Labour vs the People | Why Burnham, Streeting or Miliband Will Be a Disaster | Spiked Podcast

May 14, 2026 | Nick Tyrone, Fraser Myers and Georgina Mumford on Starmer’s crumbling premiership, the naffness of Wes Streeting and the pointlessness of Andy Burnham

Wes Streeting Quits Cabinet and Calls on Starmer to Resign

THE GUARDIAN: Streeting, who is on the party’s right, had long been rumoured to be gathering support for tilt at leadership

Wes Streeting has quit as health secretary and called on Keir Starmer to resign as prime minister, saying it would have been “dishonourable” to remain in post and that there should now be a contest for the Labour leadership.

But Streeting, who is on the party’s right, will not immediately launch a challenge and said he wanted to see a leadership contest with a broad range of candidates – a suggestion that the Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, could fight in the contest.

Streeting had long been gathering support for a challenge and has spent the week asking MPs to nominate him. Allies have consistently said he did not want to challenge Starmer directly but hoped to be a candidate in a leadership contest if Starmer resigned.

The fact he is not challenging Starmer immediately suggests he does not have the requisite 81 MPs to mount a challenge directly.

A challenge would be likely to prompt bids from other potential candidates including the former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and Ed Miliband, the energy secretary. » | Jessica Elgot | Deputy political editor | Thursday, May 14, 2026

READ ALSO:

Wes Streeting’s resignation letter – what he said and what he meant: The key points in the former health secretary’s long letter to Keir Starmer decoded »

Labour Leadership Contest Could 'Plunge Country into Chaos', Says UK Chancellor | BBC News

May 14, 2026 | Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in an exclusive interview with the BBC that any Labour leadership contest would "plunge the country into chaos".

It comes as Angela Rayner, seen as a potential challenger to PM Keir Starmer, was cleared by HMRC of wrongdoing over her tax affairs after settling £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty, saying she had been "exonerated" of the accusation she had "deliberately sought to avoid tax".

On Wednesday, allies of Health Secretary Wes Streeting said they expected him to launch a challenge as soon as today.

Thatcher, Major and Starmer? How the Mighty Fall | Gyles Brandeth

May 13, 2026 | “He chose to actually say put up or shut up.”

The Labour rebellion against Starmer echoes the fall of John Major as opposed to Margaret Thatcher who had election success after election success, says broadcasters and former whip under John Major, Gyles Brandreth.

"This Is Chaotic" | Tim Stanley and Opposed Labour MPs Debate the Challenge to Keir Starmer

May 13, 2026 | We're joined by a loyal Labour MP, Andrew Lewin, and one who wants Sir Keir Starmer to go, Catherine McKinnell. Further analysis from The Telegraph's Tim Stanley and The New Statesman's Ailbhe Rea. Interview by Victoria Derbyshire.

Why the King’s Speech Could Slow Any Cabinet Move to Oust Starmer | Adam Boulton

May 12, 2026 | "They may have felt as cabinet ministers, it was not their time to basically trip up the government."

If Keir Starmer is to resign, then any delay may be attributed to the legislation laid out by the King's Speech tomorrow, says Times Radio's presenter Adam Boulton.

Britain’s Starmer Says He Will Not Resign

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to continue in office as he met with cabinet members. Dozens of Labour Party lawmakers had urged him to step down after heavy losses in local elections.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain dared his critics on Tuesday to formally challenge him if they had the support to do so, opening a high-stakes cabinet meeting by telling ministers that he intends to get on with the business of governing.

“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered,” Mr. Starmer said, according to a statement from his office. “The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet.”

Mr. Starmer was facing a fast-moving rebellion within his party after it suffered major losses in last week’s local elections in England, and in parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales. Dozens of Labour Party lawmakers have publicly urged him to set out a timetable for his resignation to allow a contest to find his successor.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, a junior minister, resigned from the government just as the cabinet meeting started, writing in a post directed at Mr. Starmer on social media that “the public does not believe that you can lead this change — and nor do I.”

But the prime minister appears unwilling to go quietly. In his remarks to his cabinet, he repeated comments from a speech on Monday in which he warned that a leadership fight would not be good for the country.

If Mr. Starmer refuses to quit under pressure, his critics would need to gather at least 81 Labour lawmakers to coalesce around a potential rival. That would formally trigger a leadership contest. It was unclear on Tuesday morning whether they had enough support to make that happen.

Some of Mr. Starmer’s fiercest critics do not want him to leave office immediately, but rather to announce that he will step down in the fall. That would give the party time to organize a contest to succeed him that might include Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester, who appears to have political momentum behind him. But Mr. Burnham would need to win a seat in Parliament first in a special election, something that was certain to take weeks if not months. Live Updates » | Michael D. Shear and Stephen Castle | Reporting from London | Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Pressure on Starmer Mounts as Dozens of Labour Lawmakers Call on Him to Quit

THE NEW YOTK TIMES: The chances of a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Keir Starmer appeared to rise sharply on Monday as several government aides announced their resignations.

Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Monday. “I get it. I feel it. And I take responsibility,” he said of last week’s results. | Carl Court/Getty Images
Dozens of Labour Party lawmakers called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign on Monday, effectively rejecting their leader’s efforts to quell a mutiny in the party ranks and raising the likelihood of a bruising leadership battle.

Mr. Starmer began the day with a speech he hoped would quiet the brewing rebellion, acknowledging the anger expressed by voters last week when they overwhelmingly rejected Labour Party candidates in elections across England, Scotland and Wales.

“That hurts and it should hurt,” he said. “I get it. I feel it. And I take responsibility.”

But the speech appears to have done little to appease Labour Party members who blame Mr. Starmer’s deep unpopularity with voters for historic defeats in the contests for municipal council seats and control of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.

By the end of the day on Monday, news organizations had tallied more than 70 Labour lawmakers who publicly said they wanted a fresh start. Several junior government aides resigned to protest his decision to stay on. » | Michael D. Shear | Reporting from London | Monday, May 11, 2026

Royaume-Uni : face à la colère des travaillistes, Keir Starmer tente de sauver sa peau et d’éviter un putsch

Cette capture d'écran provient de cet article. | Malgré le désastre, Keir Starmer (ici, samedi, à Londres) a assuré qu’il ne jetterait pas l’éponge, afin de ne pas « plonger le pays dans le chaos ». ALISHIA ABODUNDE / Getty Images via AFP
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Après la déroute aux élections locales, le chef du gouvernement britannique organise sa riposte et a étonnamment nommé à ses côtés l’ancien premier ministre Gordon Brown.

Le premier ministre britannique est sous le feu. Après la retentissante défaite travailliste aux élections de jeudi, les appels émanant de son camp et appelant à sa démission se multiplient. Pour contrer la menace, celui qui a exclu de s’effacer tente de persuader qu’il va changer et a fait étonnamment appel à l’un de ses anciens prédécesseurs à Downing Street, Gordon Brown.

Tout le week-end, les cris d’alarme et de colère ont couru dans le camp travailliste, sous le choc de la déroute et de l’humiliation. Le Labour a été étrillé en Angleterre par le grand vainqueur du scrutin, le parti Reform UK de Nigel Farage. Il a perdu près de 1 500 sièges de conseillers aux élections locales, notamment dans les régions ouvrières du nord et du centre de l’Angleterre. Reform a gagné quelque 1 450 sièges, Nigel Farage célébrant « un tournant historique dans la politique britannique ». » | Par Arnaud De La Grange, correspondant à Londres | dimanche 10 mai 2026

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