![\"WEST](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/newsletter_we_final_embed_desktop.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The outgoing PM said in the short speech that he would \u201cclose the book\u201d on his tenure, adding that his \u201cwork is done.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI go with a smile and I go proud of everything that we have achieved,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
He wished Andy Burnham \u201cevery success\u201d as he handed over the premiership. <\/p>\n
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Sir Keir\u2019s farewell speech was met with applause <\/p>\n
AFP\/Getty<\/p>\n
![\"<p>Outgoing](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/01KXZGW492W3S0J4DVP94FSMVS.jpg\")
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Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer issues a statement outside 10 Downing Street ahead of the arrival of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.<\/p>\n
PA<\/p>\n
Sir Keir\u2019s arrival at the podium was met with widespread applause from his colleagues as he prepared for his final trip to see the King to offer his resignation. <\/p>\n
As he concluded the speech, he shook hands and exchanged hugs with a number of guests before heading to the palace. <\/p>\n
His departure as Prime Minister means Britain will see its seventh leader in a decade. <\/p>\n
Sir Keir Starmer\u2019s final speech in full<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you very much, and good morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m about to visit His Majesty the King to offer my resignation and close the book on my time as prime minister.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy work is done. In six-and-a-half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country, and won a landslide general election victory in 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince then, it has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as prime minister, and I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur economy is stronger; our public services are on the up, with the biggest fall in waiting times for 17 years; children are being lifted out of poverty every single day; immigration is down significantly; our defence and security are on a far stronger footing and our international reputation is greatly advanced.<\/p>\n
\u201cYet the thing I will always take away with me \u2013 the most humbling aspect of this job \u2013 is the front-row seat you get to witness the greatest things of this country in action, to see every day immeasurable acts of resolve, grit, decency, and compassion from people who serve our country, whether that\u2019s in their regimental colours, NHS scrubs, or simply the millions of people in their communities who volunteer their time and their effort to the ground beneath their feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe face a world now where our enemies will stop at nothing to divide us because of our values, our freedom, our decency, and frankly, because of our unflinching resolve towards the brave people of Ukraine.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd so, under this attack, it is vital that we remember the greatness of the Britain all around us. That while we debate how to fix our problems, there is something we inherit from our country and our character that can give us confidence that we can change our country for the better, that we can create a Britain where every child can go as far as their talent will take them, and we can unite different people under our common flag if we don\u2019t succumb to that division.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, as I now pass the baton to Andy Burnham, I wish him every success. He has my full support.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd finally, I want to thank once again my family, Vic, and our children, my team, all the staff here and across the Labour Party, everyone at Number 10, and across the civil service, and everyone who has supported our efforts along the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor all the focus on individuals, politics will always be a team sport, and the changes we\u2019ve delivered for our country and our party belong to everyone who has fought for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thank them again today, and I thank the British people for the opportunity to serve. I go with good grace. I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you very much.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The outgoing PM said in the short speech that he would \u201cclose the book\u201d on his tenure, adding…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":702852,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[19306,59,57,58,420,2053,50,10365,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-702851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-kingdom","tag-andy-burnham","tag-gb","tag-great-britain","tag-greatbritain","tag-keir-starmer","tag-labour-party","tag-news","tag-prime-minister","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/702851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=702851"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/702851\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/702852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=702851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=702851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=702851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}