Britain’s former Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that he will step down as a Member of Parliament, just months after resigning as UK Prime Minister following a turbulent period in office.
Starmer, who represented the London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras for 11 years, said he would leave Parliament to concentrate on “international affairs”, including defence, security, trade and technology.
In a statement shared on social media, he said it was the “right time” to bring his parliamentary career to an end, triggering a by-election in the constituency.
“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.
The Camden New Journal reported that Starmer had informed the Labour Party of his decision to leave Parliament after 11 years. He spent six of those years as the party’s leader.
Starmer became Prime Minister after Labour secured a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, ending years of Conservative Party rule.
A former human rights lawyer, he was credited with rebuilding Labour’s electoral appeal and moving the party towards the political centre.
However, his time as Prime Minister was marked by declining popularity, internal pressure and a series of political difficulties. After about two years in office, mounting pressure from Labour MPs eventually led to his resignation this summer.
Andy Burnham was subsequently brought into the Prime Minister’s role in July, replacing Starmer.
Starmer’s decision to leave Parliament now marks another major step away from frontline British politics as he turns his attention to international issues, particularly defence, security, trade and technology.
His departure from Holborn and St Pancras will also trigger a by-election to determine his successor as the constituency’s MP.
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