LONDON (AP) 鈥� Prime Minister said that he was leaving the United Kingdom in “better shape than I found it鈥� as he fielded questions, criticism and even a bit of praise from lawmakers in the House of Commons for the last time on Wednesday.
Starmer, who , bid farewell to the boisterous weekly sessions where he has traded barbs with opposition politicians and defended his government鈥檚 record. On Monday, he will step down as prime minister after losing the support of his Labour Party, handing over power to a new Labour leader, .
鈥淓very prime minister knows when they take up the torch that the day will come when they have to pass it on,鈥� said Starmer, who has spent six years as leader of the Labour Party and two as prime minister.
鈥淭his is the end of my political journey,鈥� he said, though he plans to remain a backbench lawmaker for now.
Britain鈥檚 parliamentary democracy allows governing parties to change leaders, and thus prime ministers, without the need for a general election. The next national election doesn’t have to be held until 2029.
PMQs is a weekly ritual in British politics, where the prime minister answers questions, from opposition party leaders and others, on topics they don鈥檛 know in advance. A test of leaders鈥� ability to think on their feet, it is derided by some as political pantomime that generates more noise than insight.
Starmer’s valedictory session was a gentler affair, mixing seriousness and political criticism with personal tributes and jokes about an pitting Reform UK leader against the comedy candidate Count Binface.
Starmer opened by saying he was 鈥渉orrified鈥� at the killing last week of the . Counterterrorism police are investigating it as murder.
Starmer called it 鈥渃hilling鈥� that three serving or former members have been killed during his 11 years in Parliament, and urged politicians to 鈥渄o more to defend our democracy.鈥�
Instead of mentioning upcoming meetings with ministers, as he has every other week, Starmer said that he had 鈥渁n important appointment with the television鈥� later when in a World Cup semifinal.
Kemi Badenoch 鈥� the fourth leader of the opposition Conservative Party since 2022 鈥� cautioned Labour that changing leaders is no 鈥渟ilver bullet,鈥� and recalled how Starmer had predicted she wouldn’t last a year in charge.
鈥淟ife comes at you fast,鈥� Badenoch said.
Starmer went from landslide to ouster in two years
Starmer was in July 2024, but is quitting after in office marred by missteps and judgment errors that eroded his standing with his party and the public.
He struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair and ease the cost of living. And he was hamstrung by , including his decision to appoint , a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as U.K. ambassador to the United States.
After Labour was hammered in , Starmer gave in to mounting pressure from the party and announced that he would step down. Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, is the only candidate in the contest to replace him and will be announced as the new Labour leader on Friday.
On Monday, Starmer will go to Buckingham Palace and announce his resignation as prime minister to King Charles III, who will then ask Burnham to take over.
At Prime Minister鈥檚 Questions, Starmer said that he was proud of his government鈥檚 domestic policy achievements, including stronger protections for a reduction in child poverty, a law designed to after tragedies, and .
鈥淚 am proud to leave this country in better shape than I found it,鈥� he said.
He got praise for supporting Ukraine
Starmer has been lauded for his role on the world stage, especially in repairing relations with Britain’s European Union neighbors after Brexit and galvanizing international support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
On Tuesday, Starmer attended in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, who awarded him the Legion of Honor in recognition of his work with France on European security. The two countries have led efforts to assemble an international coalition to underpin peace in Ukraine if there is a ceasefire.
Ukraine’s cause has wide political support in Britain, and Badenoch praised Starmer for immediately after the Ukrainian leader was berated by U.S. President Donald Trump and other administration officials in the White House last year.
Starmer recalled how people had gathered at the gates of Downing Street to see Zelenskyy, and 鈥渢he moment he got out of the car and hugged me, they cheered from the top of their voices, the British people, to tell President Zelenskyy exactly what they thought of him and the way he had been treated鈥� in the Oval Office.
The rambunctious House fell silent as Starmer ended by thanking colleagues, staff, civil servants and all those 鈥渨ho struggle to be seen or heard 鈥� you鈥檙e the reason I came into politics.鈥�
He said 鈥淚 love you鈥� to wife Victoria and two teenage children, who were watching from a viewing gallery, before a final: 鈥淕oodbye.鈥�
Lawmakers from all sides of the chamber applauded, with many rising for a standing ovation. That drew a reprimand from Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, who reminded them that cheering is allowed in the House of Commons, but clapping is against the rules.
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