Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as Leader of the Labour Party and UK Prime Minister. 

Just over two years after leading Labour to victory in the 2024 general election, he announced his resignation in a speech today. 

Nominations for the next Labour leader will open July 9 and close July 16. If a candidate is unopposed, they will be confirmed as leader by July 18. If opposed, a contest will be triggered, with a new Prime Minister selected by September 1.

Devolution and planning reform among key policies championed by Keir Starmer

Peter Ware, Partner and Head of Government at Browne Jacobson, said: “Sir Keir Starmer's resignation will prompt a rush to define his legacy, but for those working in and with the public sector, there is a genuine record of structural ambition worth acknowledging.  

“The English devolution programme has been one of the most significant shifts in local government architecture in a generation. The move from a two-tier to unitary authority structure, along with a greater number of mayoral strategic authorities, should unlock more place-based decision-making and give local areas real tools to shape their own economic futures.  

“Arguably the most ambitious policy brought forward by this government is in planning reforms, featuring the Planning and Infrastructure Act as well as the most significant changes to the National Planning Policy Framework since its inception. While not without its challenges, this could be transformational in the long term for unlocking new housing and infrastructure development.  

“Meanwhile, the commitment to social housing, backed by the largest public investment in half a century, offered a meaningful signal about where national priorities lie, even if the government has been slow in translating into completions on the ground.  

“Whenever there is a change in leadership, there will always be concerns that long-term projects already underway could be undone. The damage this would create means it's vital the next leader recommits to all these workstreams.  

“The biggest challenge for this government has been the erosion of a coherent, communicable vision. What began as a bold mission-driven programme gradually lost its shape under the pressure of fiscal constraint and political turbulence. 

 “It’s therefore crucial the next Prime Minister sets out a new vision that goes further and faster, while giving the public and private sectors something tangible to get behind. This can’t just be a case of restating missions, but in creating the delivery architecture that makes them credible. 

“Critically, this means honesty about the tools needed for government to succeed in its ambitions.  

“If investment in social infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and transport projects is a priority, for example, then we need to acknowledge the role that can be played by modern public-private partnership models that learn the lessons from previous models such as PFI and PF2. The sooner that case is made clearly, the sooner the market can respond.”