Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions will be Keir Starmer’s last before he resigns on Monday, ending a two-year premiership after Labour’s May local-election losses forced his exit.
Monday’s handover will send Starmer to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation, after which King Charles III is expected to ask Andy Burnham—set to be confirmed Labour leader on Friday—to form a government.
Starmer’s downfall followed weak progress on growth, public services and living costs, compounded by judgment errors including appointing Peter Mandelson as U.K. ambassador to the United States.
Tuesday in Paris, Emmanuel Macron awarded Starmer the Legion of Honor for work on European security, underscoring the international role Starmer is likely to cite alongside domestic measures such as renter protections and a higher minimum wage.
Britain’s system lets a governing party replace its leader without a general election, so Burnham can become prime minister immediately even though the next national vote is not due until 2029.