STATEMENT: Keir Starmers Resignation

Sir Keir Starmer is a decent and principled man, and I would like to thank him for his service to our party and our country during what have been challenging times. He has delivered some significant changes in a relatively short period as Prime Minister.

Despite that, we cannot get away from the fact that mistakes have been made during his leadership. Today, he has taken what I believe is the right decision by announcing his intention to step down, and I respect the fact that he has chosen to do so in an orderly and managed way.

While I am naturally saddened by his decision to step down, I recognise that politics is always moving and changing, and there comes a point when a fresh start can be in the best interests of the party, the government and the country.

For some time, I have felt that we needed to focus more clearly on the future and set out a positive vision that people can believe in. The issues facing families, businesses and communities across the country are significant, and people rightly want to know how politics can help improve their everyday lives.

This is an opportunity for Labour to renew that sense of purpose, to be ambitious in our plans and confident in our values, while remaining focused on delivering for the people we serve.

I believe Andy Burnham is the right person to lead that next chapter. He has a strong track record of standing up for communities, speaking plainly about the challenges people face, and bringing people together. He has my full support and I look forward to backing his leadership in the months and hopefully years ahead.