This morning the Prime Minister has set out his timetable for resignation

Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed he will resign as Prime Minister just two years after leading Labour to a landslide election victory.

He announced his timetable of resignation outside Downing Street this morning.

The resignation makes him the shortest serving Labour Prime Minister in history.

"Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision," he said.

He added "walking up" Downing Street two years ago was "the proudest moment" of his life.

The Labour leader held back tears as he paid tribute to his wife Lady Victoria Starmer and their children.

He said: "When I leave the biggest job in the country, I shall spend more time on the most important job, being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife Vic, who has been a rock by my side through good times and bad, and being the best dad I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and my joy."

Sir Keir said he will continue in the position "until a contest is complete" in September, saying he will "do everything" to ensure a smooth handover of power.

In the 2024 General Election, Sir Keir led Labour to a victory landslide after 14 years of Conservative power.

Labour won a total of 411 seats, securing a 174-seat majority - the third strongest performance in the party's history and the best since 2001.

The outgoing Prime Minister said: "Six years ago I inherited a Labour Party that was politically, financially and morally bankrupt.

"I was told time and time again that my party was finished. That we were consigned to history. That a majority at the general election let alone a landslide majority was impossible.

"But we proved those people wrong. Because we changed our party. Ripping out the poison of anti-Semitism, restoring trust on the economy, defence and national security and becoming a party that once again stood proudly with not against our national flag."

However, since his premiership the Prime Minister has been tainted by U-turns and scandals which has since seen his popularity dwindle.

Controversies such as the Government ending Winter Fuel Payments, freebies involving donations, the Lord Peter Mandelson scandal, on top of the ongoing cost of living crisis, downturned Sir Keir's favourability.

Since the 2024 general election, his approval ratings dropped significantly over his premiership, with his net favourability score at -45 per cent as of last week.

The 63-year-old's resignation timetable now officially paves the way for Andy Burnham to become the UK's seventh Prime Minister in a decade.

Mr Burnham, who secured his return to Westminster last week with a comfortable win in the Makerfield by-election, took to X to thank Sir Keir "for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period".

He wrote: "Keir has given huge service to our country and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period.

"His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.

"The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get.

"As we move forward, our priority must be to work together to get the country back to where we all want it to be.

"People want to see progress on economic growth, cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never distract from the responsibility to improve people's lives.

"The Labour movement has always been at its strongest when it looks forward with confidence and purpose.

"This is what we will do from here and we will make sure this transition is a positive process of renewal for our party and our country."

Sir Keir confirmed a new Prime Minister and Labour leader would be in place by September.

He said: "I will ask the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party to set out a timetable with nominations opening on July 9 and completed by the summer recess.

"In the case of a contest, this will ensure a new leader is in place before Parliament returns in September.

"I will remain in post as Prime Minister until the contest is complete and I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power."

The markets have reacted to the announcement, with the Ftse 100 fluctuating as investors react to the fresh political uncertainty.

UK borrowing costs creeped up and the pound experienced a depreciated by 0.3 per cent against the dollar to $1.31.

Reform UK's leader Nigel Farage has demanded a snap general election, calling Sir Keir the "most incompetent Prime Minister this country has ever had the misfortune of having".

Other political leaders have been less personal towards the outgoing Prime Minister, while still expressing condemnation towards the state of British politics.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said Sir Keir's replacement needs to "change our broken politics".

He said: "The British people are sick of being let down by an endless merry-go-round of Prime Ministers while nothing really changes for them.

"This time must be different. It can’t just be about changing who’s in No 10, it has to be about changing our broken politics so we can fix our country.

"That means tackling the cost of living with a bold new deal with Europe, fixing social care at long last to end the NHS crisis; and giving power back to people by voting reform and giving communities more control.

"Whoever becomes Prime Minister needs to drop the caution and complacency and show the ambition our country deserves."

Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch preempted the resignation this morning, posting on X before the announcement, writing "Keir Starmer is a terrible Prime Minister".

She wrote: "Hiking national insurance, the Family Farm Tax, giving up on real welfare reform, not funding our defence, not drilling our own oil and gas, appointing Peter Mandelson…then lying about what had happened.

"Britain is not ungovernable. Keir Starmer is a terrible Prime Minister. But the problem isn’t just Starmer.

"Labour MPs only want higher taxes to hand out more benefits, as the Welfare Secretary has pointed out. These are Labour’s choices and their values, regardless of who is running the party. We need to get Britain working again."