KEY POINTS

• Badenoch called Starmer a “terrible Prime Minister” after he announced his resignation.
• She blamed Labour policies on tax, welfare, defence and energy for the UK’s problems.
• Starmer will stay until Labour picks a successor, with the transition due by September.

The Leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has reacted to the resignation of Keir Starmer as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, describing his tenure as unsuccessful and blaming Labour Party policies for the country’s current challenges. She posted the statement on her official X account shortly after Starmer announced his decision on Monday.

A sharp critique of Labour

In the post, Badenoch criticized several decisions taken under the Starmer government, spanning tax, welfare, defence, energy and political appointments. “Hiking national insurance. The Family Farm Tax. Giving up on real welfare reform. Not funding our defence. Not drilling our own oil and gas. Appointing Peter Mandelson, then lying about what had happened,” she wrote.

Moreover, Badenoch argued that Britain’s problems run deeper than Starmer himself and reflect Labour’s wider values. “Britain is not ungovernable. Keir Starmer is a terrible Prime Minister. But the problem isn’t just Starmer,” she said. Furthermore, she claimed Labour lawmakers prefer higher taxes and more welfare spending at the expense of growth. “These are Labour’s choices and their values, regardless of who is running the party,” she added, before pressing her own pitch. “We need to get Britain working again. We need the Conservatives,” she said.

Starmer steps aside

Starmer announced his resignation less than two years after taking office, ending a premiership marked by policy reversals and growing political pressure. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, he said he had concluded that the country needed new leadership ahead of the next general election.

According to Starmer, the process to elect a new Labour leader will begin in July, and he will remain in office until the party chooses a successor, with the transition expected to finish by September. In addition, he said he intends to devote more time to his family after leaving office, and he thanked his wife, Vic, for her support throughout his time in government.

He further admitted that mounting pressure within the Labour Party had influenced his decision to step aside. Ultimately, the resignation opens a leadership contest that will shape Labour’s direction into the next election, while it hands the Conservatives, under Badenoch, a fresh opening to sharpen their attacks and press their case for a return to power.