Sir Keir confirmed his decision this morning following growing pressure within the Parliamentary Labour Party. He will remain in Downing Street while Labour members choose a successor.
Nominations for the leadership contest are expected to open on 9th July. If more than one candidate secures sufficient backing, the contest will continue through the summer, with a new leader expected before Parliament returns in September.
As Labour continues to hold a large majority in the House of Commons following its 2024 election victory, a general election will not be required. The successful candidate will instead be invited by King Charles III to form a government and become Prime Minister.
Several names have already emerged as possible contenders, including Greater Manchester Mayor and newly elected MP Andy Burnham, former Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former Armed Forces Minister Al Carns.
Responding to the announcement, Mr Stone praised Sir Keir’s record in office.
He said: “Today I want to send my deepest thanks to the Prime Minister. Keir Starmer is a man who has worked tirelessly for our country, taking on the toughest job in the country.
“He has led our efforts to stabilise the economy, lift half a million children out of poverty and helped me deliver jobs here in Swindon.
“I know the Prime Minister to be a man of honour and deep personal kindness and will forever be grateful to him for the changes he made to our party and the way he led us to the first Labour election victory in 14 years in July 2024.
“My focus is now, as it will always be, on the people of Swindon and supporting the Labour government which is best placed to address the issues that matter most to people, like fixing our public services and improving education and opportunity across generations.
“In the coming weeks I will look at the candidates and review who is best placed to lead our country, but for today I would like to thank Keir Starmer for his service and leadership.”
Mr Stone did not endorse any candidate in his response today. However, he previously suggested that Al Carns would be the person he would be most likely to support if a leadership contest took place. Earlier this month, he said:
“If there were to be a leadership contest, I would assess the candidates and what they are pledging first. But at this point Al Carns is the person I would most likely support. He has an exceptional record of public service, ex special forces, strong leadership credentials and understands duty and country in a way that resonates with people across the UK. I think he has the qualities to be a future Prime Minister.”
Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines officer who served in Afghanistan and Iraq before entering politics, has been linked with a potential leadership bid but has not confirmed whether he intends to stand.
Sir Keir’s resignation brings an end to a leadership that saw Labour return to power in July 2024 after 14 years in opposition.
Attention is now expected to turn to Labour’s National Executive Committee, which will set the timetable and rules for the contest. Candidates will need significant support from Labour MPs before reaching the ballot, with party members, affiliated trade unionists and registered supporters likely to play a role if the contest progresses beyond the nomination stage.
At the time of publication, Swindon North MP Heidi Alexander had not publicly commented on Sir Keir’s resignation.
