An overwhelming number of Britons, about 62%, believe Keir Starmer was right in deciding to resign, recent polls have revealed.
Conducted shortly after the Prime Minister announced his plans to step down, the poll confirmed public sentiment following Starmer's two years in office. Of the 6001 adults surveyed, 21% of respondents described their performance as poor, and 29% said it was terrible. A further 28% rated his time as prime minister as average, while only 13% considered him good and 2% described him as great.
The figures show a clear gap between the public and Labour supporters.
Among Labour voters, just 24% judged Starmer's performance as poor or terrible. Instead, 33% viewed his record as good or great, while 38% placed him in the average category.
That divide reflects the challenge facing Labour as it moves towards choosing a new leader. For some supporters, Starmer's departure represents a necessary change after a difficult period. For others, the figures suggest there remains a level of support for his approach and a more sympathetic view of his legacy.
The shocking exit announcement makes Starmer the sixth British Prime Minister to resign in a decade.
A poor start
It was not a surprise for some, despite Starmer's 64% win at the general election in 2024, when Labour ended 14 years of Conservative government. Although a landslide victory, Labour won the election on a paltry 34% voter turnout, allegedly spurred more as a reaction against the Conservatives rather than as support for Labour.
In fact, Starmer stepped into office at a disadvantage, with a net satisfaction rating of minus 21 on the eve of the election. In the immediate aftermath, his rating rose to plus 3. What followed was a series of controversies that sank his rating to a dismal minus 60.
What went wrong?
Controversies hounded Starmer soon after he became Prime Minister. Two months after gaining his seat, he was in hot water for failing to declare multiple designer spectacles as political donations from Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli. Not long afterwards, he received four tickets for a Taylor Swift concert after providing a motorcycle escort for the singer en route to one of her performances. Starmer denied that the tickets were a thank-you gift, and later paid back Universal Music.
In May of 2025, Starmer announced significant welfare cuts aimed at curbing government spending. This was met with intense backlash from the Labour Party, eventually forcing Starmer to reverse his plans.
A few months later, he was again in hot water when it was revealed that former UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson had close ties with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. While Starmer himself has no direct links with Epstein, his appointment of Mandelson was seen as his oversight. Starmer's Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney, took the fall when he took full responsibility for advising Starmer to make the appointment.
The most significant blow came from within Starmer's own party, however, when Andy Burnham won the seat for Makerfield earlier this month. Previously blocked by Starmer from running as MP for Gorton and Denton–an election that Labour subsequently lost–Burnham was sworn in as the Makerfield MP to loud cheers, mere hours after Starmer announced that he was stepping down.
What's next?
There will be no general election as Labour won a five-year mandate when Starmer took office in 2024.
Nominations for Labour leadership will open in July, with Burnham being eyed as the new PM. The former Greater Manchester mayor himself has expressed interest in the position, posting: 'Keir has given huge service to our country, and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period.'
Burnham had already signalled he would enter a leadership contest if he secured a parliamentary seat, and reports said he was expected to put himself forward for the Labour leadership following Starmer's resignation. His path now appears clearer because potential rival Wes Streeting has stepped aside and backed Burnham, making a contested leadership race less likely.
However, the final decision depends on Labour's formal leadership process, so Burnham's succession is not officially confirmed yet.
