British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday morning, nearly two years after his Labour Party’s historic victory in the 2024 U.K. general election. In a speech outside Downing Street, Starmer acknowledged that he no longer had the backing of his party.
Starmer's Resignation Speech
“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace,” Starmer said. “Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” he continued, adding that he notified King Charles of his decision earlier.
U.S.-Iran Talks Progress
Meanwhile, senior negotiators from the U.S. and Iran on Monday wrapped up a lengthy round of initial talks aimed at solidifying a permanent end to the war between the countries. The mediation effort in Switzerland started Sunday and had rocky moments, but it also led to some agreements between the two sides.
Mediators Qatar and Pakistan hailed what they called “encouraging progress” made during the talks as Iran and the United States agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address the fighting in Lebanon. A senior U.S. diplomat claimed progress on multiple fronts, including the establishment of “mechanisms” to ensure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy shipments, remains open and that a ceasefire in southern Lebanon holds.
