Former British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced Tuesday he is standing down as a Member of Parliament, triggering a by-election in his London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras.
Starmer, who left Downing Street in July, had previously said he would remain an MP until the next general election, due no earlier than 2029. His reversal came as a surprise, particularly because it was announced just hours before his successor, Andy Burnham, was set to make his debut in the House of Commons as prime minister.
According to the BBC, Starmer told the Camden New Journal it had been a "huge honour and privilege" to represent the constituency for 11 years. He said it was the "right time" for him to leave Parliament.
"I will now focus on other things and that will be international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world," he said. "I will also continue, as I have done for a long time now with others, to work on combating violence against women and girls; that is an issue that matters to me hugely. It's work I started before I became an MP and it's work I'm keen to continue after I'm an MP. So international affairs on the one hand, and continuing my work on violence against women and girls on the other."
Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake accused Starmer of making "another U-turn having pledged to stay on," saying the resignation would prompt a "costly by-election for taxpayers."
Holborn and St Pancras has been a Labour stronghold for years. Starmer won the seat in 2024 with a majority of more than 11,000 votes. In this year's local elections, however, the Greens came second in wards that make up the constituency, taking 29.8% of the vote to Labour's 39.5%.
The Green Party hinted that its leader, Zack Polanski, was considering a run for the seat. A party spokesperson said Polanski, currently a member of the London Assembly, had "always made it clear he would like to be a London MP."
A date for the by-election will not be set until Starmer formally resigns his Commons seat. Candidates will not be confirmed until a later stage.
