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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces his plan to resign outside 10 Downing Street in London on June 22 (local time). / Reuters, Yonhap News

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on June 22 (local time) that he will step down from his post as Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party.

"The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election," Starmer said in a speech delivered outside his official residence at 10 Downing Street in London. "I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace," major media outlets including the BBC and The Guardian reported.

"Every decision I have made has been about putting the country I love first," he added. "Therefore, I will resign as leader of the Labour Party."

With his resignation, the United Kingdom is poised to welcome its fifth prime minister in seven years, following a succession of leaders that began with Boris Johnson (who served from 2019 to 2022), followed by Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, and Starmer himself.

Starmer, who had led the Labour Party since 2020, successfully swept to power in the 2024 general election, ending more than a decade of Conservative rule. However, amid a deepening economic stagnation, his administration faced mounting criticism over sluggish reforms and policy missteps. His approval ratings subsequently plummeted, culminating in a crushing defeat for the Labour Party in last month's local elections.

Pressure further intensified on June 18 when Andy Burnham, the popular former Mayor of Greater Manchester, won a parliamentary by-election in the Makerfield constituency, instantly positioning himself as the leading contender to succeed Starmer as the next prime minister.

                                                                                                           Kim Hyun-min