Keir Starmer to QUIT as MP for Holborn & St Pancras sparking London by-election battle‘It has been a huge honour and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country’ – Sir Keir Starmer
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Michael Howie, Senior News Editor2 minutes ago
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Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced he is standing down as MP for Holborn and St Pancras.
Announcing the move on Tuesday afternoon, Sir Keir said he felt it was the “right time” to step down from the Commons and focus on new work on international affairs.
Sir Keir was replaced by Andy Burnham as prime minister and Labour leader in July after losing the support of his party in the wake of dire local election results.
He told the Camden New Journal: “It has been a huge honour and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country and to have taken over from Frank Dobson, who was such a great constituency MP and a member of the last Labour government.
“I will now focus on other things and that will be international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world.
“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.”
He has informed local Labour constituency party staff of his decision to exit Parliament after eleven years representing the north London seat.
The move will trigger a by-election in his north London seat, providing a major test of Labour’s popularity under Mr Burnham.
Reflecting on his time as prime minister, Sir Keir again pointed to Labour’s 2024 election victory as a huge achievement as he thanked the Holborn & St Pancras Constituency Labour Party (CLP) for its support during his time as party leader.
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He said: “They have been resolute in their support for me: firstly in becoming an MP and then becoming the leader of Labour Party, and then as prime minister. I couldn’t have asked for a better, more supportive constituency Labour party.
“They have always had my back and my constituency staff have worked tirelessly on casework and campaigns, and making sure that constituency concerns are picked up and dealt with efficiently.
“My years on the front line were basically six-and-a-half years because it was from picking up the Labour Party in 2019 from the worst election result since 1935 and turning it around to a general election landslide victory in 2024, while most people said it wouldn’t be possible to win the election in 2024 – let alone win it with a landslide.
“No leader has ever pulled such a swing across from such a low base to a landslide in the way that we did.
“I’m proud of what we delivered. I’ve achieved it by being a locally-based MP with a fantastically supportive CLP. Without them, it wouldn’t be possible for me to step up and lead the Labour Party, and then change the Labour Party to face the country and put it in a position to win the election and be in government.”
The Tories said Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to step down marked “another U-turn”.
Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake 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 and John Healey are plotting tax rises on hardworking families across the country.
“The Conservatives look forward to giving the people of Holborn and St Pancras a chance to vote for a stronger economy and a stronger country in the weeks ahead.”
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