Close associates of Keir Starmer believe that the British prime minister will announce the timeline for his departure from the leadership of the government immediately, paving the way for the United Kingdom to have its seventh prime minister in a decade and facilitating the selection of Andy Burnham as his successor.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Starmer’s announcement that he will step down could come as early as today, Monday, although they stress that no final decision has been made. The prime minister has spent the last three days assessing his position and considering whether to continue resisting the moves by Bernam, who was elected to Congress last week and has gained the right to challenge the party leadership.

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Sunday on the Truth Social platform that Starmer “will resign” as prime minister. A British official, however, stated that the government had not conveyed any such information to Trump and that there had been no communication between the two leaders.

The Guardian reported on Sunday evening that Starmer would announce his intentions in a statement outside Downing Street on Monday morning, citing members of the Cabinet.

When asked about the report, Downing Street referred to Starmer’s remarks on Friday, when he had made it clear that he did not intend to step down from his position. Nevertheless, Downing Street also highlighted the remarks made by Business Secretary Peter Kyle, who said on Sunday that Starmer was considering the “political realities.”

“He’s had discussions with a very wide range of people, including me,” Kyle told Sky News. “At the same time, he worked intensively all weekend. I think he’s taking the time to assess the political realities, the challenges, and the opportunities he faces.”

The possibility of Starmer’s departure marks a striking reversal from the landslide election victory of 2024, which brought the Labour Party back to power after 14 years. His tenure as prime minister was marked by political missteps and particularly low approval ratings, while Labour’s heavy defeat in the May local elections prompted nearly a quarter of the party’s MPs to call for his resignation.

Starmer’s expected decision comes just days after Burnham’s election to the House of Commons, a development that allowed him to formally challenge for the Labour leadership. This result sparked a series of discussions between Starmer and his allies regarding whether he could withstand an internal party contest.

Bernam’s victory in the by-election in the Makerfield constituency, where he won by a wide margin over Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, further increased the pressure on Starmer. Many Labour MPs now believe that Bernam is their only chance to stop Farage in the next general election, which must be held by 2029.

If Starmer announces his intention to step down, Britain will enter yet another period of political uncertainty. This development would lead to his succession by the seventh prime minister in ten years, a scenario that seemed unthinkable when Labour secured a comfortable parliamentary majority in 2024.

Following the political turmoil of the post-Brexit period, during which the Conservatives went through a succession of leaders —from David Cameron and Theresa May to Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak—Starmer had promised a new era of stability. Instead, investors are now wondering what direction the British government will take next and who might succeed Rachel Reeves as Chancellor of the Exchequer in a potential Burnam government.

At the same time, the question remains open as to whether Bernam will emerge as prime minister unopposed or whether he will face a challenge from within his own party. In the latter case, he will need to spend weeks defending his government plan and securing the support of party members, who have the final say in the election of the leader.

By the end of Friday, several ministers who remained loyal to Starmer had conveyed to him that, although they did not want him to step down, they considered his replacement inevitable. According to reports, the discussions focused on minimizing disruption to the country and avoiding deeper internal party conflicts, rather than on exerting pressure or threatening resignations.

By Saturday morning, only a small core of absolutely loyal ministers continued to urge him to stay and fight for his political survival.

At the same time, several ministers gathered from their conversations with Starmer the impression that he had accepted the need to set a timeline for his departure. They also believed he would not participate in a potential internal party leadership election, thereby avoiding even more difficult discussions.

Starting Saturday afternoon, his aides focused on the terms of his departure. Some argued that he should remain in office until September, believing that this would best serve the national interest, as Bernam has not yet presented a fully formed governance plan.

In their view, it is up to Labor MPs to decide whether Bernam will assume power unopposed or whether an internal party contest will precede his appointment, while warning of the dangers of assuming power without sufficient vetting.

Some MPs from the right wing of the Labour Party are concerned that even if former Health Secretary Wes Streeting garners the necessary support to trigger an, he may subsequently reach an agreement with Burnham, withdrawing his candidacy in exchange for a top ministerial post, such as that of foreign secretary.

A longtime supporter of Starmer stated that his main concern is that, without a clear plan to quickly unite the party and deliver on the promise of change, Bernam could lose his popularity within a few months and face even more intense internal party conflicts, following the path that led the Conservatives into crisis before the last election.

At the same time, there are disagreements even among Bernam’s supporters regarding the direction a potential government of his would take. Some of his close associates oppose appointing the current Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, to the Treasury.

Others, who belong to the party’s left wing, are already expressing dissatisfaction with Bernam’s intention to keep Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in her position, due to her hardline stance on immigration, believing that he risks further alienating Labor’s left-wing base if he does not choose someone from the left to manage economic policy.

Source: Protothema.gr