Former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his decision to step down as Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras after 11 years.
Starmer who resigned as Prime Minister earlier this year, said he had decided that it was the right time to leave Parliament and focus on international affairs, including defence, security, trade and technology.
He also said he would continue his work to combat violence against women and girls, an issue he had championed for years.
“I will now focus on other things and that will be international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world”, he said in a statement on Tuesday.
“I will also continue, as I have done for a long time now with others, to work on combating violence against women and girls, that is an issue that matters to me hugely”
Starmer’s announcement comes hours before Andy Burnham, his successor, is due to deliver his first statement in the Commons as prime minister. The former prime minister had said he would stay as an MP until the next general election, which is scheduled for 2029.
Starmer’s resignation will trigger a by-election in his north London constituency to elect his replacement.
Starmer, a human rights lawyer, is credited with reviving the centre- left Labour party, helping it win a landslide victory in 2024. He represented Holborn and St Pancras since 2015 and became Labour Party leader in 2020. He led Labour to landslide victory in the 2024.
-9News Nigeria.
