Keir Starmer announced his resignation as leader of the Labour Party this morning. As such, he’s also started the clock on stepping down as prime minister, once a new leader is decided.
Of course, an impending leadership contest has been the worst kept secret in Westminster for months now.
In particular, leadership rival Andy Burnham’s victory in last week’s Makerfield by-election formed a very public blow to Starmer’s position. Likewise, though far less significantly, useless ex-health secretary, Wes Streeting, quit ahead of a leadership challenge back in May, with ex-armed forces minister, Al Carns, following in June.
Nominations for the leadership contest will begin on 9 July, so a new leader will be decided before Parliament’s summer recess.
In the meantime, here’s a look at some of the more glaring hypocrisies of Keir Starmer’s resignation speech.
Starmer’s speech: ‘Years of disappointment and despair’
Standing outside the door of No. 10, Starmer stated:
Walking up this street two years ago was the proudest moment of my life. A new Labour government. The first in 14 years. A page in our country’s history turned after years of disappointment and despair.
“Years of disappointment and despair” — as if Starmer hasn’t been a monumental disappointment himself. His own MPs’ calls for his resignation have come in thick and fast. Hell, his utter lack of popularity as prime ministerhas broken records.
Apparently, however —and in spite of historic losses in this year’s elections — the party isn’t finished.
Six years ago, I inherited a Labour Party that was politically, financially and morally bankrupt. I was told, time and time again, that my party was finished.
It seems that turning around a morally bankrupt party involves welcoming Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, and shaking his hand in front of No.10. Last year, the UN Human Rights Council directly quoted Herzog to demonstrate the Israeli government’s genocidal intent in Gaza.
‘Restoring trust’
Of course, Starmer got in the obligatory dig at Labour’s previous incarnation:
Ripping out the poison of antisemitism, restoring trust on the economy, defence, and national security.
“Restoring trust” didn’t apply to Starmer letting down the families of the Hillsborough survivors though, did it? Campaigners had to meet with the PM to plead with him not to include an opt-out for security services on the duty not to lie to the public.
And don’t even get us started on Labour’s hierarchy of racism.
However, his party has done a great job on arresting dangerous pensioners for national security, you know. It’s all in the interests of fairness.
To build a fairer country, with dignity and respect, where everyone is seen, everyone is valued. Wealth and opportunity for all, not just the privileged few. And look at what we’ve achieved in just two years.
We can see that “dignity and respect” at play in the treatment of trans people under Starmer’s Labour.
When the UK’s media turned against trans people, Starmer dutifully followed suit, suddenly claiming that he didn’t believe their statements about their gender. Now, his party is busy trying to bar trans people from single-sex spaces for both their assigned sex and gender identity.
‘Standing up for [Reform’s] values’
Inevitably, the speech moved on to Labour’s ‘victories’:
Small boat crossings falling, asylum hotels closing, protecting young people from social media, and half a million children being lifted out of poverty because of the choices that I made.
Ah yes, the ‘Reform in a red tie’ immigration policies. Despite small boat crossings falling and asylum hotels closing, somehow Reform is doing fine in the polls. It’s almost as if the PM giving a speech that calls the UK an “island of strangers” is a boon for the far right. Who’d have guessed it?
Oh, and apparently everyone on the world stage loves us now.
Our reputation in the world restored, with Britain once again standing up for decency, respect and the rule of law. Securing trade dues, standing with Ukraine, standing up for our values, and rebuilding our relationship with our allies in Europe.
And was that “decency” in the room when Starmer ignored vetting issues to appoint Epstein’s buddy, Peter Mandelson, as ambassador to the US? Were we standing up for the rule of law when Starmer failed to condemn Trump’s repeated aggression against other nations?
‘Stronger and fairer’
Winding down, the PM moved on to the issue of his replacement:
I will also give my successor my full and unequivocal support, knowing that they will inherit a Britain that is far stronger and fairer than the one I inherited two years ago, better prepared for the challenges ahead, and better able to ensure the Labour Party secures a second term in office.
Any meager increases in fairness in the UK have happened in spite of Starmer and his cronies, not because of them.
In 2025, Starmer only climbed down from making massive slashes to existing personal independence payments because of rebel MPs. However, his cuts would still apply to future claimants anyway.
Starmer finished up by saying:
And when I leave, the biggest job in the country. I shall spend more time on the most important job. Being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife, Vic, who has been a rock by my side, through good times and bad. And being the best dad I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and my joy.
That’s nice.
However, on the subject of Starmer’s family (and because our days of getting to make this joke are numbered): three cheers and good riddance to the biggest tool Starmer’s father ever made.
Featured image via Chris J. Ratcliffe/ Getty Images
By Grace
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