‘I go with a smile’ says outgoing UK PM Keir Starmer in final speech

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a final speech in London before formally stepping down, saying he left “with a smile” and that his “work is done.” The report, published on July 20, 2026, described the address as Starmer’s last public remarks in the role before his resignation becomes official.

According to the outlet, Starmer’s departure clears the way for Andy Burnham, the new leader of the governing Labour Party, to take over as prime minister. The supplied report does not provide further detail on the leadership change, the reasons for Starmer’s resignation, or the timing of Burnham’s formal assumption of office beyond saying he “takes over as PM.”

The development matters because a change in prime minister can reset the direction and priorities of the UK government, even when the same party remains in power. In the UK system, the leader able to command support in the House of Commons is typically invited to form a government, so a governing-party leadership transition can produce a new prime minister without a general election.

The available Al Jazeera text is brief and appears tied to a video newsfeed item. No additional policy announcements, cabinet decisions, or remarks from Burnham were included in the supplied material.