Former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his intention to resign as a member of parliament approximately six weeks after stepping down as prime minister, Reuters reported on September 1 local time.

Writing in the Camden New Journal, a local publication in his constituency, Starmer said he changed his mind about initially intending to stay in parliament until the next general election, stating that he plans to "focus on international issues."

He later posted a statement on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to officially confirm his resignation.

A former lawyer, Starmer became leader of the Labour Party in 2022 and successfully led a regime change by securing a landslide victory in the July 2024 general election.

However, mounting voter disappointment with his governance—driven by an economic slowdown, successive policy U-turns, and slow reform progress—caused his approval ratings to plummet, ultimately leading him to announce his resignation about two years into his term.

Nevertheless, Reuters noted that the general consensus is that Starmer demonstrated strength in foreign policy during his time in office.

Key achievements include cooperating with French President Emmanuel Macron to build the so-called "coalition of the willing" to support post-war security in Ukraine, resetting relations with China, and formally recognizing Palestine as a state.

Starmer's resignation will trigger a by-election in his constituency of Holborn and St Pancras.

A specific election schedule has not yet been announced.

While Labour's approval ratings have rebounded since Prime Minister Andy Burnham took office as Starmer's successor, Burnham now faces a test as he must contest an election shortly after taking office.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)