Keir Starmer: “I would stand up for a strong, independent BBC.”

I am about to visit His Majesty the King to offer my resignation and close the book on my time as Prime Minister. My work is done.

I think once you’ve been prime minister, it’s important to answer the question: what are you going to do next? Having decided I’m going to concentrate on international affairs, I think it’s right to step down.

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 go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything we have achieved.