Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned his probable successor, Andy Burnham, that he cannot focus solely on domestic issues and must remain engaged in international affairs. In his first interview since announcing his resignation on June 22, Starmer told the BBC that the next Labour leader will face the same global conflicts that have defined his tenure.
Starmer's Warning on Global Turmoil
Starmer emphasized that the world is in a more dangerous and volatile state than at any point in his lifetime. “Whoever’s my successor is going to face the same global conflict. We keep saying, and it’s true, we’re in a more dangerous and volatile world than we’ve been in for probably most of my lifetime. That’s not just a phrase, that’s reality,” he stated.
Burnham, the former mayor of Manchester, is currently the only candidate to take over the center-left Labour Party and could assume office by mid-July. While his supporters have advocated for a greater focus on domestic issues such as the cost of living, and Burnham has prioritized decentralization of government, he has also signaled continuity on foreign policy. During a social media question-and-answer session on Friday, Burnham said he would “100 percent” give the same support to Ukraine as Starmer.
Domestic and International Affairs Intertwined
Starmer argued that there is no clear separation between domestic and international matters. “There’s often this discussion — what’s the right balance between dealing with international affairs and dealing with domestic affairs? They’re one and the same thing,” he said. “If you’re prime minister and you care what bills are going to be like in any household around the country, you have to care about finding a lasting solution to the situation in Ukraine, you have to care about what happens in the Strait of Hormuz.”
The outgoing prime minister also addressed his relationship with Burnham, saying he had “never had any personal animosity” toward him and that he would “do everything I possibly can to make sure” the next government succeeds.
Starmer's Resignation and Future Plans
Starmer, who led Labour to a spectacular victory in the 2024 general election, initially vowed to fight any challenge to his leadership but ultimately yielded to intense party pressure. He described the decision as “intensely personal,” made with his family at Chequers, the British prime minister’s country retreat. “We went to Chequers and just spent two days together as a family. And that’s when I came to my final decision,” he revealed.
Starmer has said he will remain in parliament at least until the next nationwide vote but plans to stay out of the spotlight. “I’ll be keeping my mouth shut, rather than giving constant advice to my successor about what they should be doing,” he told the BBC.
