London [UK], June 24: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced he will resign as prime minister less than two years after coming to power.
In a statement outside the prime minister's office at 10 Downing Street, Starmer said his party had asked whether he is "best placed to lead us into the next general election."
He said: "I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace."
Defending his record, he pledged to give his 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."
With a wavering voice, he added: "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."
Starmer's emotional statement followed a weekend spent mulling his future with his family at Chequers, the prime minister's country residence.
While his decision remained unclear early on Monday, ministerial allies and Number 10 staff gathered in Downing Street shortly before 9:30 am (0830 GMT) in an indication Starmer was preparing to announce his resignation.
The opening of his statement competed with a protester outside Downing Street playing the EU anthem, Beethoven's "Ode To Joy."
Labour lawmakers praised Starmer's speech as "dignified," with his supporters expressing sadness at his departure and describing it as "a mistake." One Starmer loyalist, Cornish lawmaker Perran Moon, told the Press Association: "What have we done?"
Others said it was a chance to turn around the party's fortunes, with centre-left group Mainstream saying: "The Labour Party now has a chance to turn a corner and make good on its promise of change."
"But we must be clear: this is our final chance. What comes next must be a genuinely transformative political project."
Starmer's decision to stand down means Labour will now hold a contest to choose his successor, with Andy Burnham seen as the frontrunner.
The former Greater Manchester mayor is expected to arrive in Westminster to be sworn in as a lawmaker on Monday afternoon after winning the Makerfield by-election.
Former health secretary Wes Streeting is also expected to put himself forward as a candidate.
Starmer said he would ask Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) to set out a timetable that would see a new leader in place by the time parliament returns from its summer recess on September 1.
He said nominations would open on July 9, the day after he is expected to return from a NATO summit in Turkey, and close to the start of the summer recess on July 16.
Starmer's decision to quit means the UK will now have its seventh prime minister in a decade.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called for a general election in the wake of Starmer's resignation, tweeting: "If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming."
Other opposition figures stopped short of demanding an election, but urged Starmer's successor to be bold.
Source: Qatar Tribune