Summary

  • Senior government figures expect Sir Keir Starmer to announce both his resignation and a plan to hand over to his successor as soon as this morning

  • The prime minister has spent the weekend weighing up his political future as pressure grows on him to stand down

  • While a leadership contest is possible, a "coronation" for Andy Burnham looks increasingly likely

  • Burnham is due to be sworn in as an MP in Westminster this afternoon after victory in the Makerfield by-election last week

  • That win cleared a path for him to challenge for the Labour leadership

  • For the third time in four years, we appear on the brink of a prime minister announcing their plan to leave office, writes political editor Chris Mason

Live Reporting

Edited by Caitlin Doherty and Tinshui Yeung

  1. We don't *know* Starmer is leaving - but that is the widespread expectation

    Henry Zeffman
    Chief political correspondent, reporting from Downing Street

    It is important to emphasise that this morning we still do not know that Sir Keir Starmer is going to resign.But we do know that an imminent resignation is the widespread expectation throughout government. That has been widely reported throughout the media for more than 24 hours now and Downing Street has done little to dampen the speculation.Should Starmer resign, it would be our sixth prime ministerial resignation since David Cameron announced his departure the morning after the Brexit referendum (which was 10 years ago tomorrow).

    That is an extraordinary rate of prime ministerial churn.

    There’ll be plenty of discussion to come about the causes of that chaos: chaos which Starmer’s Labour promised to end.

    Starmer behind lecternReuters

    The prime minister announcing new social media rules for children in Downing Street last week

  2. It's just after six on a Monday morning, and the world's media are on Downing Street

    Jon Kay
    BBC Breakfast

    Jon Kay

    Anything could happen during BBC Breakfast this morning; we are poised in Downing Street.

    The world's media are already here too, at 6 o'clock on a Monday morning.

    I've never seen it quite this busy so early.

    • You can watch our live coverage in our stream at the top of the page

  3. Where is Keir Starmer this morning?

    Henry Zeffman
    Chief political correspondent

    The prime minister is in Downing Street this morning, having returned from his weekend at Chequers, his country residence in Buckinghamshire.

  4. How did we get here?

    Burnham, wearing a white polo shirt, opens his arms with a crowd behind himPA Media

    Andy Burnham's by-election victory in Makerfield has changed the mood in Downing Street

    The pressure on Starmer ramped up considerably after the local elections in May, in which Labour lost almost 1,500 councillors in England and the party lost power in Wales, while recording its worst ever result for the Scottish Parliament.

    However, discontent had been rising long before the elections, including over his decision to change direction on three major policies in a month last year.

    Starmer's decision to appoint Lord Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US also led to questions about his judgement. Lord Mandelson was sacked after new information came to light about the depth of his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

    While Starmer had been vowing to fight any leadership challenge, the tone shifted after Burnham beat Reform UK in Makerfield on Thursday and increased Labour's majority, bucking a recent trend of electoral losses.

    That led to cabinet ally Peter Kyle saying on Sunday the prime minister was considering "political realities".

  5. Analysis

    All eyes on No 10 - what does the PM say, and when?

    Chris Mason
    Political editor

    Starmer leaves No 10PA Media

    For the third time in four years, we appear on the brink of a prime minister announcing their plan to leave office, not because they have lost a general election but because their own party has concluded they would be better off without them.

    Many people within government and in the wider Labour Party expect Sir Keir Starmer to say just this, perhaps as soon as this morning.

    His premiership, in the eyes of many on his own side, has been deflating for months.

    Burnham's victory last week – and the scale of it – uncorked the bottle of Labour Party dissent that had been constrained by the by-election campaign.

    The prime minister spent the weekend mulling his options, knowing he was, frankly, running out of them.

    We know of at least four cabinet ministers – the home and foreign secretaries among them – to have told Starmer he should set a timetable for his departure.

    Read Chris's analysis here.

  6. 'Game over': What the papers are saying

    A split image of the Guardian and the Mirror

    Sir Keir Starmer dominates the front pages of Monday's front pages, with every paper believing his time in No 10 is up.

    The Guardian reports that he is expected to announce a timetable for his departure this morning, while the Mirror declares it's "game over" for Starmer on its front page.

    And while theDaily Telegraph reports that Burnham plans to become prime minister by September, the Independent quotes US President Donald Trump as saying the PM "will resign".

    See all of Monday's front pages here.

  7. Starmer mulls political future as Burnham heads to Westminster

    Joe Pike
    Political correspondent

    Andy Burnham and Sir Keir Starmer appearing together in a composite image - both are wearing glasses and have neutral expressionsGetty / PA Media

    Sir Keir Starmer could announce a timetable for his departure from Downing Street as soon as this morning.

    The prime minister has been under mounting pressure to quit since Andy Burnham’s victory at the Makerfield by-election last week.

    All weekend Labour politicians kept largely silent - leaving the prime minister to mull his political mortality at Chequers.

    Today that is likely to end, with senior government figures expecting Starmer to announce both his resignation, and a plan to hand over to his successor.

    It is unclear whether that could last weeks or even months. While a leadership contest is possible, a coronation looks increasingly likely - with Burnham the probable beneficiary. He is due to be sworn in as an MP in the Commons chamber this afternoon.

    If the UK does get a new prime minister - its fifth in four years - a new cabinet will be appointed and a new policy platform set out. Opposition parties are likely to question whether Starmer's successor has the mandate.

    Stay tuned as we bring you all the latest developments and analysis throughout the day.