British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday, becoming the sixth UK prime minister evicted from No 10 Downing Street in the past 10 years.

In a broadcast on Monday, amid intense pressure from over 100 Labour Party MPs, Mr Starmer, who led the party to a landslide electoral victory in 2024, announced his resignation, joining the list of UK leaders forced to resign before completing their parliamentary term.

“New leader will be in place before Parliament returns in September. I will remain in post until the contest is complete,” Mr Starmer said.

Mr Starmer has joined a long line of ex-UK prime ministers in the last 10 years.

Gordon Brown
As Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010, Gordon Brown, a Labour Party leader who succeeded Tony Blair on June 27, 2007, resigned on May 11, 2010, after his party failed to form a government with the Liberal Democrats following the country’s inconclusive election five days earlier. His resignation paved the way for the Conservative Party to take the leadership of the UK Parliament.

David Cameron
David Cameron of the Conservative Party served as Prime Minister from 2010 to 2016, completing a parliamentary term but stepping aside at the start of a new one. Mr Cameron led Britain’s first coalition government in nearly 70 years and also formed the first majority Conservative government in the UK for almost two decades at the 2015 General Election.

Mr Cameron, who vigorously campaigned for Britain to remain in the European Union, resigned as British Prime Minister after losing the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Theresa May
Succeeding Mr Cameron, Theresa May, the second female prime minister in British history after Margaret Thatcher, led the United Kingdom from 2016 to 2019.

Her administration managed negotiations on Britain’s exit from the European Union (Brexit). She resigned amid the Brexit crisis because she could not muster support from her Conservative Party colleagues.

Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from July 2019 to September 2022. Though he finalised Britain’s exit from the European Union and managed the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Mr Johnson’s premiership was truncated by a mass revolt, the mass resignation of cabinet members, amid a series of scandals.

Mr Johnson was forced to resign over his poor handling of Partygate, the illegal parties held by government and Conservative Party staff during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and sexual misconduct allegations against a senior member of parliament, Chris Pincher.

Mary Elizabeth Truss
Liz Truss, the third woman to serve as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party, served for just 49 days. She served from September 6 to October 25, 2022, making her the shortest-serving prime minister in Britain’s history. Mrs Truss lost her party’s support over her economic policies, including the mini-budget, which sparked a financial market crisis.

Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak emerged as Britain’s first Asian and Hindu Prime Minister, succeeding Mrs Truss. Mr Sunak was the UK prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party from October 2022 to July 2024.

Two years into his premiership, Mr Sunak led his Conservative Party into the 2024 election, which the Labour Party won by a wide margin, paving the way for Mr Starmer’s emergence.

Mr Starmer’s resignation just two years after he led his party to a landslide victory has reignited debate on leadership instability in UK politics, characterised by turnover driven by political party crises.

Who is next after Mr Starmer?

Andy Burnham, after winning the June 19 Makerfield by-election is considered a potential successor.