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Outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday pledged his “wholehearted support” to his successor as he prepares to hand over to premier-in-waiting Andy Burnham.
“I will give my wholehearted support to my successor. I want this Labour government to be a success,” he said when asked what advice he had for his successor during his final weekly grilling by MPs in parliament.
“I want our country to be a success. I shall give my support privately if asked for, not publicly when not asked for.”
Burnham is expected to be crowned Labour’s leader on Friday after securing overwhelming support from the party’s 403 MPs and the backing of major trade unions.
The party’s comfortable majority in the 650-seat House of Commons means he will automatically become the next prime minister.
Starmer announced his resignation last month, bowing to months of pressure to step down after a series of scandals, missteps and policy U-turns.
They blighted his two-year tenure, after he led his party to victory in 2024 elections following 14 years in opposition.
‘Not a silver bullet’
MPs from all parties wished Starmer well, thanking him for his public service and calling on him to ensure that England wins Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final showdown against Argentina and go on to beat Spain in the final on Sunday.
Even Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch softened her tone, but criticised Starmer, saying: “He spent a long time laughing that I’d lost control of my party. I think he should have been paying attention to his backbenchers instead of mine”.
“Changing prime minister is not a silver bullet. Indeed, it may be that the Labour Party’s troubles are only just beginning,” Badenoch added.
“Solving the fundamental problems in this country will require difficult decisions.”
Burnham will become Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade.
MPs broke into a loud round of applause as fervent football fan Starmer wished them an emphatic “Goodbye” from the despatch box in the middle of the parliament floor, saying he had a date with his television at 8:00 pm CET for the World Cup match.
“This is the end of my political journey,” he said, although he plans to stay on as an MP for the time being.
“In two years in government, I leave the country in better shape than I found it. I am proud of everything that we have achieved.”
Sitting next to him finance minister Rachel Reeves, who seems set to lose her job in the next cabinet, was in tears.
Additional sources • AFP
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