By Adedayo Isaac Adeoti
Former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that he will step down as the Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras, just weeks after leaving office.
Starmer said he had changed his previous decision to remain in Parliament until the next general election, telling the Camden New Journal that he wanted to focus on international affairs. He later confirmed his decision in a statement on X.
“It has been a huge honor and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country,” Mr. Starmer told The Camden New Journal, adding, “I will now focus on other things, and that will be international affairs, including defense, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world.”
The move will trigger a by-election in his north London constituency, although a date for the election has not yet been announced. Starmer has represented Holborn and St Pancras since 2015.
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Starmer became Labour leader in 2020 after the party suffered its worst general election result since 1935. In 2024, he led Labour back into government with a landslide victory and one of the largest parliamentary majorities in modern British history.
However, his premiership was later affected by declining public support, political difficulties and criticism over several policy reversals. He resigned as prime minister in June 2026 after acknowledging that he was no longer the right person to lead Labour into the next general election.
Despite his domestic political difficulties, Starmer’s foreign policy was regarded as one of the stronger aspects of his time in office. He worked with French President Emmanuel Macron to support Ukraine, sought closer ties with China and recognised a Palestinian state. He also pursued closer relations with US President Donald Trump.
Starmer won Holborn and St Pancras by more than 11,500 votes in the 2024 election. However, an independent candidate campaigning largely on opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza secured almost 19% of the vote.
His departure from Parliament comes shortly after Andy Burnham succeeded him as prime minister, making Burnham Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade.
