Sir Keir Starmer is set to resign as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras in order to focus on work in defence and international affairs. 

The former Prime Minister told the Camden New Journal that he would focus on issues such as “defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world” after leaving parliament. 

He also told the local newspaper: “I will also continue, as I have done for a long time now with others, work on combating violence against women and girls; that is an issue that matters to me hugely. It’s work I started before I became an MP and it’s work I’m keen to continue after I’m an MP. So international affairs on the one hand, and continuing my work on violence against women and girls on the other.”

Starmer had previously said he would not resign as an MP, marking another U-turn for the ex-Labour leader. 

He announced his resignation in June a few days after Andy Burnham was elected as the MP for Makerfield. 

He formally left office in early July as Burnham was elected Labour ladder. 

In late June, his spokesman confirmed he would not quit as an MP and would continue to sit on the backbenches. 

Tories salute Starmer’s ‘fitting final act’

The announcement, which has come on the first day of the return to parliament, marks an end to Starmer’s 11-year political career in Westminster. 

Before being elected as a Labour MP, Starmer served as director of public prosecutions, the top lawyer in the Crown Prosecution Service. 

Upon joining parliament in 2015, he backed Burnham to be the next Labour leader. Jeremy Corbyn won that year’s leadership election. 

Starmer later served in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet as shadow Brexit secretary.

He became Labour leader in 2020 promising to scrap tuition fees and to bring mail, energy and water companies into “common ownership”. 

His election win in 2024 is commonly referred to as the ‘loveless landslide’ given Labour won a huge 174-seat majority despite only winning about 34 per cent of the vote. 

A spokesperson for the Green Party said: “Zack has always made it clear he would like to be a London MP. London has been his home for over 20 years.”

Starmer’s resignation as Prime Minister came after a string of embarrassing U-turns on winter fuel payments and welfare reforms, as well as his struggles to maintain popular support and quash the long-running saga around Peter Mandelson, who was appointed his ambassador in the US. 

Kevin Hollinrake, chairman of the Conservative Party, said: “Whilst we have disagreed with almost all of Sir Keir Starmer’s decisions, I wish him and his family well for the future.

“It is fitting that his final act as a Member of Parliament is yet another u-turn having pledged to stay on.

“The decision to stand down will mean a costly by-election for taxpayers at a time when Andy Burnham are John Healey are plotting tax rises on hardworking families across the country.”