Key facts
- Sir Keir Starmer resigned as prime minister after 23 months.
- Labour suffered significant local election losses.
- Economic growth accelerated but is forecast to slow.
- NHS waiting lists decreased, but energy bills rose.
- Net migration fell significantly during his tenure.
Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as prime minister after 23 months in power, following Labour's record local election losses and loss of confidence from MPs and key Cabinet members. His premiership, which began in July 2024, saw a pickup in economic growth but also a rise in energy bills and benefit spending.
Popularity for Starmer as prime minister plummeted from a net rating of minus 7 in August 2024 to minus 56 by October 2026, with polling suggesting his personal ratings fell below his predecessors. While the UK economy grew faster than most of the G7 between the second quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2026, forecasters anticipate a slowdown.
Under Starmer's government, immigration and net migration have fallen significantly, though small boat crossings continued. NHS waiting lists decreased, with more patients seen within the 18-week target, but average household energy bills increased. The government also faced pressure to increase benefit spending, leading to a rise in the welfare bill.