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Final PMQs Farewell
Sir Keir Starmer made his final appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons, where the Speaker led emotional tributes praising his “steadfast support for Ukraine” and MPs on all sides largely set aside normal hostilities for a 50 minute session.
Starmer told MPs it was the “end of my political journey” and he was “proud of everything I have achieved” before standing down, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves appeared close to tears and Labour MP Carolyn Harris said “every day we see his decency and his courage shine through”.
As he responded to questions, Starmer defended his record and listed achievements from Number 10, including improvements to the NHS and investment in tackling child poverty, and he said his government had “transformed our international standing in the world”.
The session also turned light-hearted with jokes about England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina, including a Conservative MP saying Starmer had been given a “red card” by MPs, and Starmer replied: “I don’t care what the score is tonight, as long as we win.”
Starmer left the chamber after a standing ovation, thanking his staff for being “prepared to walk through fire for me,” and he concluded: “To my wife and children, I love you. Goodbye.”
Tributes, Jokes, and Advice
Kemi Badenoch softened her approach during Starmer’s last exchange, leading with humour and paying tribute to the sacrifices made by the prime minister’s family, saying: “I know how much his wife and children mean to him, and they are in the gallery today.”
In response, Starmer thanked Badenoch for privately supporting him during a tough period, telling MPs: “Including when there was an attempt to burn down our family home, which deeply affected my family, she reached out to me.”
The Commons also paid tribute to Ann Widdicombe, with Starmer saying he was “truly horrified” by her murder and recommending a permanent tribute be put in Parliament in her honour.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described Starmer as a “true patriot,” while Conservative leader Badenoch asked whether Andy Burnham should take questions in the House of Commons rather than “scurrying away for the summer”.
Starmer did not directly answer when Badenoch asked for advice for his successor, but promised his “wholehearted support,” adding: “I will give my support privately if asked for, not publicly when not asked for,” before the Commons rose for recess on Thursday.
Handing Over to Burnham
Starmer is due to hand over power to Andy Burnham on Monday, after Burnham is confirmed as Labour leader at a special Labour conference on Friday, and the BBC reported that Burnham has been absent from PMQs since he returned to Parliament last month.
The Telegraph said Starmer will be replaced by Andy Burnham after he bowed to pressure from his Cabinet and backbenchers to resign following Labour’s record local election defeats in May, and it also described Starmer’s claim that he was leaving Britain “in a better shape than I found it.”
In the Commons, Starmer said he would refrain from criticising his successor publicly, saying: “I shall give my support privately if asked for - not publicly when not asked for,” while also thanking Sir Lindsay Hoyle and the Civil Service before wishing health and happiness to MPs.
Beyond Westminster, the BBC noted Starmer praised his work on Ukraine and his friendship with the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, and it reported Badenoch’s warning that changing prime minister was not a “silver bullet” and that “their troubles are only just beginning”.
The Independent also tied the farewell to international themes, quoting Starmer on his government’s “leadership on the coalition of the willing” and on “the Strait of Hormuz,” as the session ended with a standing ovation and Starmer shaking hands with the Speaker.
