Keir Starmer heads to local pub after stepping down as Prime Minister
Sir Keir Starmer headed straight for a pint of bitter at his local pub after stepping down as Prime Minister.
He made a beeline for a pub in Kentish Town with loyalists including Rachel Reeves hours after handing over the keys to No10 to Andy Burnham.
In exclusive pics obtained by The Sun, Starmer is spotted clutching a pint while his ex-Chancellor Rachel Reeves grins delightedly between gulps of wine.
Earlier, Sir Keir had delivered a short goodbye speech outside Downing Street and travelled to Buckingham Palace to formally resign to King Charles, ending his two tumultuous years in office.
He said serving as Prime Minister had been “the privilege of my life” and insisted he left office “with good grace and with a smile”.
Sir Keir reflected on taking Labour from its crushing 2019 election defeat to a landslide victory in 2024, declaring: “My work is done.”
The former Labour leader insisted Britain was now “stronger and fairer” than when he entered No10, pointing to a stronger economy, falling NHS waiting lists, lower immigration and increased defence spending among his Government’s achievements.
But he also struck a warning note, saying Britain’s enemies would “stop at nothing to divide us” because of the country’s values and unwavering support for Ukraine.
He added: “And so, under this attack, it is vital that we remember the greatness of the Britain all around us.
“That while we debate how to fix our problems, there is something we inherit from our country and our character that can give us confidence that we can change our country for the better, that we can create a Britain where every child can go as far as their talent will take them, and we can unite different people under our common flag if we don’t succumb to that division.”
Turning to his successor, he said: “As I now pass the baton to Andy Burnham, I wish him every success. He has my full support.”
Sir Keir ended by thanking wife Victoria, their children, his staff, Labour activists and civil servants, saying politics would always be “a team sport”.
He concluded: “I thank the British people for the opportunity to serve. I go with good grace. I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved.”
The speech lasted less than five minutes before the former PM left Downing Street for the final time and headed to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the King.
Within the hour, Mr Burnham had been invited to form a Government and returned to No10 as Britain’s new Prime Minister.
Leaving behind the pomp of Westminster, the former PM headed to his local pub, where family, friends and his closest advisers gathered for a private farewell.
Sir Keir swept into No10 with a landslide majority in 2024, promising to restore stability after years of Conservative rule.
But less than two years later, his authority had been battered by the Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador, Cabinet resignations and internal Labour rows.
The final blow came after Labour’s heavy defeats in the local elections, which triggered intense pressure from MPs for a change at the top.
Sir Keir announced he would step aside last month after Mr Burnham’s stonking victory in the Makerfield by-election, which paved the way for his unopposed win in theLabour leadership.
Technology & Business Editor
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