Keir Starmer has announced that he will resign as leader of the Labour Party and step down as prime minister, bringing an end to his time in office.

In an emotional statement delivered outside Number 10 Downing Street, Starmer reflected on the state of Labour when he took over the party’s leadership, saying he inherited an organisation that was “politically, financially and morally bankrupt”.

He said he had repeatedly been told that Labour was “finished” but argued that his leadership had proved critics wrong.

Starmer pointed to what he described as key achievements during his tenure, including tackling anti-Semitism within the party.

“I changed the Labour Party by ripping out the poison of anti-Semitism,” he said.

He also highlighted efforts to restore public confidence in Labour on economic management, defence and national security.

Leaving Number 10 alongside his wife to cheers and applause from supporters and staff, Starmer described becoming prime minister as the proudest moment of his life.

“Walking up Downing Street two years ago was the proudest moment of my life,” he said.

The outgoing prime minister added that he entered politics to improve people’s lives and reflected on Labour’s journey back to power in the July 2024 general election.

Addressing the growing debate within Labour over its future leadership, Starmer said the central question facing the party was whether he remained the right person to lead it into the next general election.

He acknowledged that party members and colleagues had reached their conclusion.

“I have heard the answer of my party to that question and I accept that answer with good grace,” he said.

Starmer insisted that every major decision he had taken in office had been guided by what he believed was best for the country.

“Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first,” he said.

Concluding his statement, Starmer confirmed his departure from the party leadership.

“I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” he announced.

Attention is focused on Downing Street amid growing expectations that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer could make a significant statement about his political future.

Preparations appeared to be under way on Monday morning as Downing Street staff were seen bringing speakers into the street, fuelling speculation that a public address by the prime minister was imminent.

Starmer returned to London after spending the weekend at Chequers in Buckinghamshire and is understood to be at Downing Street ahead of the anticipated announcement.

Senior figures within government are reportedly expecting Starmer to set out plans for his departure, following mounting pressure within the governing Labour Party.

If Starmer does announce a timetable for leaving office, it would mark the third time in four years that a British prime minister has been forced to step aside primarily because support within their own party has collapsed rather than as a result of losing a general election.

The developments come amid intense political scrutiny and growing questions about Starmer’s ability to maintain the confidence of Labour MPs and senior ministers. Any announcement would likely trigger a leadership contest and usher in another period of political uncertainty at the top of British government.

All eyes now remain on Downing Street as the country awaits confirmation of whether the prime minister intends to remain in office or begin the process of handing over power.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has secured a significant political victory after his centrist Civil Contract Party won a crucial general election, reinforcing his government’s efforts to strengthen ties with Western partners while maintaining relations with Russia.

According to preliminary results, Civil Contract received 49.8% of the vote, comfortably ahead of the pro-Russian Strong Armenia Alliance, which secured 23.2%. The Armenia Alliance, another opposition bloc with close ties to Moscow, finished third with 9.9%.

The election was widely viewed as a referendum on Armenia’s foreign policy direction as the South Caucasus nation seeks to deepen engagement with Europe while navigating economic and political pressure from Russia, its traditional ally and largest trading partner.

Declaring victory after the results emerged, Pashinyan said voters had endorsed a vision focused on stability and cooperation.

“The Armenian people voted for peace, regional prosperity and cooperation,” he said.

The vote was the first parliamentary election since Armenia’s defeat in the 2023 conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a development that reshaped the country’s political landscape and remains a major issue in domestic politics.

International reaction was swift, with European leaders welcoming the result. The European Union and France congratulated Pashinyan and praised Armenia’s growing cooperation with Western institutions.

Civil Contract’s victory came despite a decline in the prime minister’s popularity since his landslide win in 2021. Opinion polls before the election suggested support for Pashinyan had fallen to around 30%, largely due to public dissatisfaction over the handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis.

Nineteen parties and alliances competed in the election, though only a handful gained enough support to enter parliament. Voter turnout reached 59%, according to electoral authorities.

Among the opposition groups, the Strong Armenia Alliance was led by Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, while the Armenia Alliance was headed by former Armenian president Robert Kocharyan. Both have advocated closer ties with Moscow.

Despite pursuing stronger links with Europe, Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia would continue participating in the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

“We will continue the course of rapprochement with the West, but we will also continue our participation and membership in the Eurasian Economic Union,” he said.

The election took place against a backdrop of increasing pressure from Russia. In recent months, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Armenia to clarify its long-term strategic direction and highlighted the economic advantages the country receives through its membership in the EAEU.

Moscow has also underscored Armenia’s dependence on discounted Russian energy supplies and recently imposed restrictions on imports of several Armenian products, including flowers, mineral water, cognac, fruits and vegetables.

Since coming to power in 2018, Pashinyan has sought to reduce Armenia’s reliance on Russia by advancing legislation aimed at beginning the process of closer integration with the European Union and by pursuing a US-backed peace process with Azerbaijan.

His government also hosted a major gathering of European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Yerevan earlier this year, further signaling Armenia’s growing engagement with Western partners.

However, Armenia remains far from EU membership, and the country has not yet obtained official candidate status.

At home, Pashinyan continues to face criticism from opponents who blame him for concessions made during efforts to normalize relations with Azerbaijan following the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh. Many critics remain angered by his approach to negotiations and his handling of issues involving former leaders of the region who remain imprisoned in Azerbaijan.

Nevertheless, the election result provides Pashinyan with a renewed mandate to continue balancing Armenia’s complex relationships with both the West and Russia while pursuing regional stability and economic development.