Sir Keir Starmer: “What happened in the Channel was deeply concerning. It was reckless.”

I’m proud to hand over the party in good shape to Andy Burnham, and hand over the country in good shape to Andy Burnham.

My work is done. In six-and-a-half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country, and won a landslide general election victory in 2024.

I thank the British people for the opportunity to serve. I go with good grace. I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved.

I’m about to visit His Majesty the King to offer my resignation and close the book on my time as prime minister.