Keir Starmer, the former British Prime Minister, has announced he will step down as a Member of Parliament for the Holborn and St Pancras constituency in London after 11 years, triggering a by-election. Starmer stated that it was the "right time" to resign and focus on other issues, including international affairs, defense, security, trade, and technology.

The announcement comes six weeks after his resignation as the UK's premier, having lost the support of ruling Labour Party MPs. Starmer led Labour to a historic landslide victory in 2024 after 14 years of Conservative rule, but within two years, policy U-turns, cuts, a diplomatic scandal, and pressure from the radical right-wing Reform UK eroded his authority, leading to his ousting.

Andy Burnham, who became Britain's seventh prime minister in a decade, has succeeded Starmer. Burnham's accession has given Labour a bounce in the polls, though he faces tougher challenges ahead as Parliament resumes.

Starmer had previously said he would remain as a lawmaker until the next general election, but he told the Camden New Journal that he had changed his mind and intended to leave Parliament. The newspaper did not specify a timeframe for the by-election in his constituency.

Despite his dwindling popularity at home, foreign affairs were seen as Starmer's strength, particularly his strong relationships with EU leaders in the wake of Brexit, especially French President Emmanuel Macron, with whom he established the so-called Coalition of the Willing in support of Ukraine. In the 2024 election, Starmer comfortably kept his seat with a majority of over 11,500 votes, though independent candidate Andrew Feinstein, who campaigned against Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, took nearly 19 percent of ballots.

Source: www.aljazeera.com