Keir Starmer: “I have the highest respect for the individuals that you have quoted, but I don’t agree. These are hard-edged decisions…”

Immigration is down significantly. Our defence and security are on a far stronger footing and our international reputation is greatly enhanced.

I will also continue, as I have done for a long time now with others, to work on combating violence against women and girls; that is an issue that matters to me hugely.

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.