Keir Starmer resigned as Labour leader on Monday morning, with Andy Burnham appearing on course to become prime minister by mid-July. The Mirror reflects on Starmer's tenure, noting his achievements were overshadowed by recent misjudgements.
Starmer's Achievements
Starmer leaves Downing Street having achieved more than recent noise suggests. He brought rail back into public ownership, passed the Renters' Rights Bill, raised the minimum wage, created GB Energy from nothing, and achieved a genuine reset with the EU after years of drift. In his first year alone, he passed more than 40 pieces of legislation. He also stood up to Donald Trump over the Iran war, refusing to be steamrolled into a conflict that served Washington more than Britain. That is a record of delivery and backbone, according to the Mirror.
Errors That Harmed His Record
However, his record was harmed by misjudgements. Cutting the winter fuel allowance hit pensioners already struggling and never stopped costing him politically. The appointment of Peter Mandelson was an error of judgment that should never have happened. May's local elections and John Healey's resignation over defence spending exposed a government losing its grip on its own party as much as the country.
Dignity in Departure
Through it all, Sir Keir conducted himself with dignity. He never descended into bitterness that has marked lesser exits. That dignity was clearest in his manner of going, accepting his party's verdict with grace rather than grievance, putting country before pride at the moment most leaders cling hardest. The Mirror states: "He did not fail this country. He failed to make the country feel what he had done for it. Competence without communication. That gap, in the end, is what beat him."
Conclusion
History tends to be kinder to a record than the week a prime minister leaves. Sir Keir governed through difficult, exhausting years and leaves behind a change that will outlast the nature of his departure. For that, and for his decades of public service, the Mirror says thank you.
