Former UK PM Keir Starmer to step down as MP, focus on international affairs

Former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that he is standing down as MP for Holborn and St Pancras, saying it had been a huge honour and privilege to represent the constituency for 11 years and sharing that he now intends to turn his focus to international affairs and tackling violence against women and girls.

Starmer posted a statement on his X account, following weeks of speculation about whether he would remain as MP after standing down as prime minister earlier in the summer, with Andy Burnham replacing him.

Starmer’s move will trigger a by-election in the London seat.

In his statement, Starmer said he was ready to “pass the baton to a successor”.

“Over the summer, I have had time to reflect and consider my future. I have decided that now is the right time to step down as MP for Holborn and St Pancras and hand the baton over to a successor,” he said.

“It has been a huge honour and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country and to have taken over from Frank Dobson, who was such a great constituency MP and a member of the last Labour government,” he said.

He said that he will now focus on other things, and that will be international affairs, including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world.

“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,” he said.

"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.”