UMVA has learned that Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister, marking the end of a tumultuous tenure that began with promises of change and ended in a series of missteps and unpopular decisions.
The announcement came with Starmer fighting back tears as he spoke of his wife and children, saying he would leave the "biggest job in the country" to focus on being the best husband and dad he could be. His voice wavered as he expressed his gratitude to his wife, Vic, for being a rock by his side through good times and bad.
Starmer's premiership was filled with controversy, including a series of U-turns on key policies, such as the scrapping of winter fuel payments for pensioners and the rise of National Insurance on employers. These decisions, along with a string of sleaze scandals, eroded public trust and ultimately led to his downfall.
One of the most damaging scandals involved Starmer's appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador, despite Mandelson's ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The move sparked widespread criticism and raised questions about the vetting process.
Despite these challenges, Starmer secured several long-term reforms, including measures to boost rights for private and social renters, the nationalisation of rail services, and a lifetime ban on anyone born after 2008 buying cigarettes. He also oversaw the rollout of age verification for adult material online and a ban on social media for under-16s.
As Starmer steps down, attention is turning to his potential successor, with Andy Burnham emerging as the clear favourite. Burnham, the former Manchester mayor, stormed to victory in the Makerfield by-election and is believed to have the backing of many Labour MPs.
However, not everyone is convinced that Burnham is the right choice, with some senior figures arguing that the next leader should be publicly tested through a competitive process. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting has called for a "battle of ideas" about the future direction of the party.
For now, Burnham remains the overwhelming favourite to win any contest, having demonstrated his ability to defeat Reform in Thursday's by-election. The question on everyone's lips is: will Andy Burnham become the next Prime Minister?
