British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to resign after effectively losing the support of his closest allies, The Telegraph and The Observer write.
According to a Labour MP regarded as loyal to Starmer, the prime minister may announce the date of his resignation on Monday, June 22.
A government source cited by The Telegraph says Starmer is considering his future on Saturday and Sunday. He is spending the weekend at the official country residence of Chequers with his wife, Victoria.
A senior government official said Starmer understands that “the game is over” and is now thinking about how to “preserve his legacy.” A Labour source cited by The Observer says the prime minister appears “resigned” to the need to step down. “He has faced the harsh reality: the support is gone. The truth is that everyone understands the current situation is no longer viable,” the outlet’s source said.
In addition, The Telegraph writes that five cabinet ministers have privately urged Starmer to set a timetable for his departure. Among them are Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle rejects claims that Starmer has lost authority and is no longer capable of carrying out the duties of head of government. According to Kyle, at the G7 summit, held on June 15–17, Starmer held several meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“And thanks to those meetings, we were able to bring the trade agreement with India to implementation, although, believe me, this was a very difficult moment. Results like that are not achieved without respect and without authority,” Kyle said.
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