By GB News (Politics) | Created at 2026-06-22 05:10:02 | Updated at 2026-06-22 10:01:35
5 hours ago
Sir Keir Starmer is set to finally outline his plans to quit today, setting the stage for Andy Burnham to become Britain's seventh Prime Minister in a decade.
The Prime Minister is widely expected to address the nation on his plans to step down after working on resignation speeches over the weekend.
Sir Keir is said to be planning to cling on until autumn, and will tell Britain the "timetable for his departure" will see him exit No10 just before the Labour conference, where a new leader can rally the troops.
Mr Burnham is thought to want time to prepare policies and build a team for running the country - a process which Sir Keir's drawn-out exit could help.
In that time, the Prime Minister will be able to sign his EU "reset" deal, with a source close to Mr Burnham saying: "There are a couple of summer milestones that understandably Keir will want to be a part of and see as part of his legacy. But Andy must be leader in September - it will be an important watershed moment and a clean break."
Though one nervous minister told The Times: "Given the big decisions that will have to be made during that time, there’s a risk Burnham's premiership ends up being defined by Starmer."
The "King in the North" will complete his march on London later to be sworn in as an MP - and will pose with his new Labour parliamentary colleagues later on for what's been billed as a "coronation" photocall.
Some 200 of those MPs are understood to back him, a list Mr Burnham is planning to show the Prime Minister as proof of his credentials.
There is an outside chance Sir Keir could stay and fight on. Though if he refuses to set out a timetable for leaving No10, he may be forced to sit and watch as ministers resign on Tuesday before Cabinet.
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Who could sit in Prime Minister Andy Burnham's Cabinet?
Miatta Fahnbulleh, Josh Simons, Anneliese Midgley and Louise Haigh were all spotted at Andy Burnham's victory rally
GETTY
Before he's even been formally sworn in as an MP, reports are emerging as to who Andy Burnham wants in his top team.
The former Mayor of Greater Manchester is thought to be meet backbenchers in a whip's office later today.
Ex-Transport Secretary Louise Haigh is said to be taking "pitches" from MPs and ministers on which roles they may want in his administration.
Mr Burnham's own team is said to have been left divided over whether to appoint Ed Miliband as Chancellor.
Allies of Wes Streeting, another potential pick for No11, have claimed he would be ready to drop his leadership ambitions and get in line behind Mr Burnham if a deal could be made to unite the right and left of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Mr Streeting has denied this and insists he will take part in any contest.
Other names likely circling for jobs in a potential Burnham Cabinet could include Miatta Fahnbulleh, Josh Simons, Anneliese Midgley, Heidi Alexander and Lucy Powell - all known as members of his inner circle.
In a move which could placate the Labour right at risk of the wrath of the left, Shabana Mahmood would be expected to stay on as Home Secretary if Mr Burnham successfully seizes the keys to No10.
Donald Trump pre-empts Keir Starmer's exit with blistering attack on PM's migration failure
Yesterday, Donald Trump declared Sir Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister for failing to tackle the migrant crisis and refusing to drill the North Sea.
He said: "Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects - Immigration and energy (open North Sea oil). I wish him well!"
The "special relationship" appeared to have held strong when Mr Trump returned to office last January.
But it soured this year over Iran, the Chagos Islands - and, repeatedly, migration and energy.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle confirmed Sir Keir was taking time to "reflect" over the weekend - before "coming back and making a decision" today.
Though despite Mr Trump's comments on Sir Keir's looming exit, US officials have issued dire warnings about how the special relationship could worsen if he leaves No10.
"Starmer is seen as a reasonable choice for now, given the further-left alternatives,” one US official told Politico at the G7 summit.
"Wherever that [relationship with Trump] stands at any given moment, it’s a lot deeper than what something with Burnham might be."
After storming to victory in Makerfield, Andy Burnham devoted part of his speech to attacking the "dark and divided" politics in Mr Trump's America.
RECAP: Keir Starmer declares 'I'm not going to walk away'... three days before 'resignation address'
After Andy Burnham's Makerfield by-election triumph on Friday morning, the Prime Minister insisted he would stand in a potential leadership battle and would not walk away.
"I will stand, and I've said repeatedly I'm not going to walk away," Sir Keir Starmer vowed. "The one thing we've got to avoid doing is plunging our party and our country into chaos by turning on each other and tearing apart our party. That has never worked."
Three days - including a weekend at Chequers with his top team - later, Sir Keir is set to outline a timetable to walk away.
