Lessons from British PM’s resignation

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AFTER barely two years of leading the Labour Party to a landslide electoral victory, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was forced to resign as prime minister and party leader on June 22.

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Surprisingly, United States President Donald Trump had earlier predicted that Starmer would resign, citing his failures on immigration and energy policies as major reasons. Britain’s refusal to join the United States in the war with Iran also reportedly strained relations between the two allies.

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It became increasingly clear from his mistakes and political missteps that Starmer and his party had lost public confidence. He failed to fulfil his promises of steady leadership, economic growth and relief from the rising cost of living.

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Part of his political undoing was his controversial decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a longtime associate of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as the United Kingdom’s ambassador to the United States despite concerns over security vetting in January 2025.

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The LP also performed poorly in the local elections held last May, losing close to 1,500 seats as the Nigel Farage-led Reform UK recorded significant gains across the country.

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Consequently, dozens of lawmakers openly called on Starmer to resign. Several ministers, including two senior defence officials, stepped down in recent weeks, citing a lack of confidence in his leadership.

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Announcing his resignation, Starmer disclosed that nominations for a leadership contest would open on July 9. He admitted that he was no longer the right person to lead the party into the next election and agreed to remain as caretaker Prime Minister until a successor emerges.

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Ironically, the outgoing PM continued to enjoy considerable international respect, particularly for his role in mobilising European support for Ukraine in its war with Russia and for his efforts to mitigate the economic and political consequences arising from the Iran conflict.

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The hopes of LP members now appear to rest on former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who is widely tipped to succeed Starmer and is regarded by many as the politician best positioned to defeat the anti-immigration Reform Party at the next election.

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Unlike the preceding four decades during which Britain had only six prime ministers, this decade alone has witnessed the departure of six occupants of 10 Downing Street.

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They are David Cameron, 2010 to 2016; Theresa May, 2016 to 2019; Boris Johnson, 2019 to 2022; Liz Truss, Britain’s shortest-serving Prime Minister, from September 6 to October 25, 2022; Rishi Sunak, 2022 to 2024; and Starmer, 2024 to 2026.

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Analysts attribute this rapid turnover largely to the political and economic aftershocks of Brexit, which continue to reshape British politics and governance.

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Yet the most important lesson is that in Britain and many other Western democracies, leaving office is not treated as a personal tragedy. Political office is largely viewed as a public trust rather than an avenue for personal enrichment.

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Interestingly, Starmer said he resigned in the interest of his country.

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

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Former President Joe Biden also chose not to seek another term in 2024, arguing that his decision was necessary to safeguard American democracy. In these societies, public debate constantly revolves around improving institutions and strengthening governance. That partly explains why their democratic systems have proved more resilient than those in many African countries.

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In Africa, however, politics often becomes a do-or-die affair. Many politicians manipulate institutions, bend the rules and deploy state resources to satisfy personal ambitions.

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Had this happened in many African countries, Starmer might have defected to another political party, engineered constitutional changes or manipulated state institutions to remain in office.

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Examples of long-serving African leaders abound. They include Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Alassane Ouattara of the Ivory Coast, Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea.

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To such sit-tight leaders, Starmer’s resignation offers an important lesson. Leaders must serve their people and continually earn their mandate to remain in office. They must remain sensitive to domestic and global developments and align their policies with the aspirations and wishes of the people.

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Unfortunately, African politics is often bereft of ideology. Many politicians operate with a sense of entitlement rather than a commitment to service. They must learn to listen to their citizens and recognise that ultimate sovereignty resides with the people.

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Ultimately, Starmer’s resignation should signal to Nigerian politicians that leadership is a service, not an entitlement, and political power belongs to the people. When a leader can no longer provide the service for which he was elected, honour demands that he step aside.

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