Outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday pledged his “wholehearted support” to his successor as he prepares to hand over to premier-in-waiting Andy Burnham.
Facing his last weekly grilling from MPs in parliament, Starmer said he wanted to see the next leader of his center-left Labour party succeed.
“I will give my wholehearted support to my successor. I want this Labour government to be a success,” he said, when asked what advice he had for his successor.
“I want our country to be a success. I shall give my support privately if asked for, not publicly when not asked for.”
Starmer announced his resignation last month, bowing to months of pressure to step down after a series of scandals, missteps and policy U-turns. They blighted his two-year tenure, after he led his party to victory in 2024 elections following 14 years in opposition.
Burnham is expected to be crowned Labour’s leader on Friday after securing overwhelming support from the party’s 403 MPs and the backing of major trade unions.
The party’s comfortable majority in the 650-seat House of Commons means he will automatically become the next prime minister.
On Wednesday, the usual bad-tempered jibes and angry exchanges witnessed in the political theater of the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions, were replaced by gentle ribbing. Starmer was also relaxed, joking with his political foes. (AFP)
