British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday announced that he would step down, becoming the 6th UK prime minister to resign in the last 10 years. His leaving 10 Downing Street extends a period of political turbulence that has seen successive leaders leave office before completing a full parliamentary term.
Starmer said he would remain in office until a successor is chosen by the Labour Party. His resignation comes less than two years after Labour’s landslide election victory in 2024 and follows weeks of mounting pressure from within the party after poor electoral performances and declining public support.
The resignation places Starmer alongside a growing list of British prime ministers who have left office before the next general election, highlighting how leadership turnover has become a defining feature of British politics since the Brexit era.
DAVID CAMERON (2010-2016)
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron entered 10 Downing Street in the summer of 2010 after leading the Conservative Party to its best election performance in nearly two decades.
The Conservatives emerged as the largest party in the general election with 306 seats, but fell 20 short of an outright majority, resulting in Britain’s first hung parliament since 1974 and the formation of a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats.
Cameron remained in office for six years before resigning in July 2016, after British voters backed leaving the European Union in a referendum he had called and campaigned to remain in.
His departure marked the beginning of a period of political churn in Britain, during which no prime minister would complete a long and stable tenure in office.
THERESA MAY (2016-2019)
Theresa May, who succeeded David Cameron as Prime Minister following the 2016 Brexit referendum, spent nearly three years trying to secure parliamentary approval for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal agreement with the European Union.
Her proposed Brexit deal was rejected multiple times by the House of Commons, exposing deep divisions within Parliament as well as within her own Conservative Party.
As negotiations with the EU dragged on and political pressure intensified, May faced growing calls to step aside from both supporters and critics.
Unable to break the deadlock over Brexit, she announced her resignation in May 2019 after months of political uncertainty.
In an emotional statement outside 10 Downing Street, May said it had been “the honour of my life” to serve as Prime Minister.
Holding back tears, she expressed pride in having been the country’s second female leader and voiced hope that she would not be the last woman to hold the office.
BORIS JOHNSON (2019-2022)
After Britain witnessed the emotional resignation of Theresa May, Boris Johnson took office in July 2019 with a promise to deliver Brexit and break the political deadlock that had gripped Westminster for years.
Johnson led the Conservative Party to a decisive victory in the December 2019 general election, securing a parliamentary majority that enabled his government to pass the Brexit deal.
The United Kingdom formally left the European Union in January 2020, ending nearly five decades of membership.
However, his tenure was later overshadowed by a series of controversies, including allegations that lockdown rules were breached during gatherings held at government offices and residences while Covid-19 restrictions were in place across the country.
The pressure reached a breaking point in July 2022 when a wave of resignations swept through the government. More than 50 ministers, parliamentary aides and officials stepped down within days, citing concerns over Johnson’s leadership and judgement.
As support within the Conservative Party collapsed and senior cabinet members urged him to leave office, Johnson announced his resignation as party leader.
LIZ TRUSS (2022-2022)
After Boris Johnson stepped down, Liz Truss became Prime Minister in September 2022. Her time in office, however, lasted only 50 days, making it the shortest premiership in British history.
Soon after taking office, her government announced a package of tax cuts and spending plans aimed at boosting economic growth.
The proposals unsettled financial markets, causing the value of the pound to fall and government borrowing costs to rise.
As criticism grew from opposition parties, financial experts and members of her own Conservative Party, support for Truss quickly weakened. Several policy decisions were reversed within weeks, but the damage to her authority had already been done.
Facing mounting pressure and a loss of confidence within her party, Truss announced her resignation in October 2022.
RISHI SUNAK (2022-2024)
After Liz Truss stepped down, Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister in October 2022, making history as the first British Prime Minister of Indian origin. He took charge at a time when the country was dealing with rising prices, slow economic growth and political uncertainty following the rapid changes in leadership.
Unlike the prime ministers before him, Sunak remained in office until the next general election and did not resign during his term.
As the next election approached, Sunak faced growing pressure from opposition parties and increasing dissatisfaction among voters after more than a decade of Conservative rule.
In May 2024, he announced an early general election, hoping to secure a fresh mandate from the public.
The election, however, resulted in a heavy defeat for the Conservative Party. Labour, led by Keir Starmer, won a clear majority in Parliament, bringing an end to 14 years of Conservative government.
Following the result, Sunak accepted responsibility for the party’s defeat and submitted his resignation as Prime Minister in July 2024.
POLITICAL UPHEAVAL IN UK
Starmer’s resignation means that Britain has now seen six prime ministers leave office through resignation since 2016: Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak and Starmer.
While Sunak’s departure followed an electoral defeat rather than an internal party revolt, the broader pattern reflects an unusually high level of leadership turnover for a parliamentary democracy.
Political scientists have argued that the Brexit referendum fundamentally altered the dynamics of British politics.
Other analysts point to the fragmentation of political loyalties after Brexit, making it harder for governments to maintain stable governing coalitions.
Starmer’s departure continues that trend. Reports indicate that pressure from Labour MPs and senior ministers intensified after disappointing local election results and growing concerns about the party’s direction.
Starmer’s resignation opens another leadership contest and raises fresh questions about the stability of British politics.
Whoever succeeds Starmer will become the seventh person to occupy 10 Downing Street since the Brexit referendum, a figure that would have seemed improbable in a political system once known for its continuity and predictable transfers of power.
– Ends
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