Derbyshire MP thanks Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he resigns
A Derbyshire MP has thanked Keir Starmer after he announced his resignation earlier this morning.
MP Louise Sandher-Jones has issued an online statement to thank resigning Prime Minister for his role in leading the country and the Labour party.
The MP for North East Derbyshire said that the PM’s role in Labour’s 2024 landslide win was ‘pivotal’ and added he has made a ‘huge impact internationally’ after taking over as the Prime Minister.
The statement reads: “I would like to thank Keir Starmer for his service to our country and for the leadership he has shown both as Prime Minister, and before that as Leader of the Opposition.
“His role in delivering the first Labour Government in 14 years was pivotal.
"Under his leadership, we have begun to see real progress on the issues that matter most to working people: NHS waiting lists are falling, real wages are rising as interest rates come down, and the two-child benefit cap has been scrapped.
"New breakfast clubs have opened in schools across our area, including in Barrow Hill, North Wingfield, Dronfield, Unstone and Tupton, while the abolition of 'no-fault' evictions is already making a difference to constituents in places such as Clay Cross and Killamarsh who have come to me for help through my casework.
"He has also had a huge impact internationally, not least the role he has played in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression.
"The decision to step down as Prime Minister cannot have been an easy one.
"It will have involved a great deal of reflection and must have been incredibly difficult to make. I respect that decision and thank him for the dedication and commitment he has shown.
"As the country looks to the future, it is vital that his successor prioritises communities like ours.
"People voted for change and they must begin to feel that change in their daily lives.
"That means stronger public services, greater job opportunities, and a government focused on tackling the cost of living.
"My focus will continue to be on standing up for local people and ensuring that your voice is heard at the heart of government.”
This comes after Keir Starmer announced that he would step down as Prime Minister at 9.30 this morning (Monday, June 22).
Standing in front of Nr 10, Starmer said that ‘every decision’ he has taken ‘is about putting the country he loved first’.
He added that he accepted he was not ‘the best placed’ to lead Labour into the next election and said he informed His Majesty The King of his decision earlier today.
Keir Starmer’s resignation means that the UK is set to have it’s 5th Prime Minister in less than four years after Boris Johnson who stepped down in September 2022, Liz Truss, who resigned in October 2022, and Rishi Sunak who was the PM until the 2024 election.
Starmer is expected to stay in power until early July and a leadership election is set to take place in the coming days with with newly elected Makerfield MP Andy Burnham and former Health Secretary Wes Streeting expected to run.