Keir Starmer announces his resignation as prime minister and Labour Party leader

Keir Starmer announces his resignation as prime minister and Labour Party leaderJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleRichard WheelerPolitical reporterBBCSir Keir Starmer has said he will quit as Labour Party leader, paving the way for a contest to decide a new prime minister.Speaking in Downing Street, Sir Keir said he accepted he was not best placed to lead Labour into the next general election and he had informed the King of his decision to step down.Sir Keir added he has asked Labour's governing body to set out a timetable to replace him, with nominations opening on 9 July and ending by the summer recess on 16 July.He said if there was a contest then a new leader would be in place before Parliament returns in September, and he will "do everything" he can to ensure an "orderly" transition of power.This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.Keir Starmer