An emotional Sir Keir Starmer choked back tears today as he announced his resignation as Prime Minister in a dramatic Downing Street address. The speech marks an end to a turbulent premiership that began with soaring hopes less than two years ago.
Sir Keir, usually known for his robotic composure, looked visibly shaken as his voice cracked in front of the world’s media, a far cry from the triumphant leader who swept into No. 10 after July 2024’s historic Labour landslide.
Images from the scene capture the immense toll of recent months, showing a defeated PM blinking back tears behind the lectern.
The massive parliamentary majority that once made him look unstoppable crumbled under the weight of disastrous poll numbers and ruthless plotting from mutinous Labour MPs, with newly elected “King of the North” Andy Burnham already installed as the roaring 1-50 bookies’ favourite to replace him.
Starmer’s raw emotion was laid bare for all to see this morning as he finally admitted defeat. You can see the most powerful images from his address, as well as the full text from his speech below.