Sir Keir Starmer praised the “greatness of Britain” as he gave his final speech as prime minister.
Sir Keir said he would “close the book” on his time in No 10, as he talked about leaving the job with “good grace (and) a smile”. He reflected on his record as Labour leader after taking over the party after its election defeat in 2019.
He spoke shortly before he left Downing Street to go to Buckingham Palace and see the King, to formally resign. His speech saw him flanked by dozens of Labour Party staff, advisers, cabinet ministers and Labour MPs.
His wife, Victoria, stood just behind him as he spoke from the lectern. She, along with their two teenage children, went with Sir Keir to see the King afterwards. Their audience with the monarch at the palace lasted less than half-an-hour.
Sir Keir said: “I am about to visit His Majesty The King to offer my resignation and close the book on my time as prime minister. My work is done.
“In six-and-a-half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country and won a landslide general election victory in 2024.
“Since then, it has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as prime minister, and I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.”
He added: “I go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved.”
Sir Keir announced his resignation on June 22, less than two years after he won a 172-seat landslide election victory for the Labour Party.
Despite the majority, his government was damaged by a combination of unpopular policy choices, and the fallout from the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US, when the depth of his ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein were reported.
But Sir Keir listed a series of policy successes in the economy, immigration, defence and on child poverty. He said public services had improved and Britain’s international reputation was “greatly enhanced”.
He said: “We face a world now where our enemies will stop at nothing to divide us, because of our values, our freedom, our decency, and frankly because of our unflinching resolve towards the brave people of Ukraine.
“And so, under this attack, it is vital that we remember the greatness of the Britain all around us.
“That while we debate how to fix our problems, there is something we inherit from our country, and our character, that can give us confidence that we can change our country for the better, that we can create a Britain where every child can go as far as their talent will take them, and we can unite different people under our common flag, if we don’t succumb to that division.”
He ended by wishing incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham good luck, as he prepared to leave Downing Street.
Afterwards, he walked down the street and hugged and kissed his wife Victoria, and other guests.
He said: “As I now pass the baton to Andy Burnham, I wish him every success.
“He has my full support.”
One of his closest allies, Attorney General Lord Richard Hermer told Sky News it was “pretty emotional” watching his friend depart as leader, and predicted a “huge role” for him on the international stage.
Another ally, Sir Keir’s former director of communications Ben Nunn, had earlier posted on X: “Keir is a man of extraordinary strength, determination and decency. I’m so proud of what we have achieved together.
“Others will judge his time in politics as they see fit. But for me, I see a Britain today that is a better country because of his leadership.”
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