Read Andy Burnham’s response to Keir Starmer’s resignation in full
"The Labour movement has always been at its strongest when it looks forward with confidence and purpose."
Keir Starmer announced his resignation today (22 June) after weeks of speculation about his future.
The man who is most likely to succeed him – Andy Burnham – has responded at length to Starmer’s departure. This is his statement in full:
Keir has given huge service to our country and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period.
His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.
The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get.
As we move forward, our priority must be to work together to get the country back to where we all want it to be. People want to see progress on economic growth, cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never distract from the responsibility to improve people’s lives.
The Labour movement has always been at its strongest when it looks forward with confidence and purpose. This is what we will do from here and we will make sure this transition is a positive process of renewal for our party and our country.
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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