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Starmer quits: Has Burnham just pulled off the greatest heist in politics?

6/22/202651 min

And just like that, Keir Starmer became the sixth British prime minister to resign in ten years - triggering a leadership contest it’s increasingly likely no one will enter. Wes Streeting has pulled out of the race. Andy Burnham is arriving at Parliament where he will be sworn in as MP. If there is no challenger, he could be PM in just over two weeks' time. Is this the most perfect heist in political history? Does Starmer have a right to feel aggrieved? And does Burnham have an actual plan?

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Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Keir Starmer· Soundbite0:00

    [digital music] This is a global production.

  2. Emily Maitlis· Host0:04

    There is something quite sort of Shakespearean about this, isn't there?

  3. Jon Sopel· Host0:07

    In that speech, exactly the reason why he has been a failure as Prime Minister. It now is another Prime Minister who has come to power via general election but left via a coup.

  4. Emily Maitlis· Host0:19

    It is the world's most painful popularity contest.

  5. Jon Sopel· Host0:23

    He never established any emotional connection with the public. He was simply a, a vessel to remove the Tories.

  6. Emily Maitlis· Host0:28

    Where is the power? Who are we looking at? Are we looking at you? Are we looking at him? Who's in control?

  7. Keir Starmer· Soundbite0:32

    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. Every decision I've taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labor Party.

  8. Emily Maitlis· Host1:05

    Keir Starmer becoming the sixth PM to resign from office in the last ten years. And as he did so, he grappled with the question staring him in the face: Why has his own party turned its back on him?

  9. Jon Sopel· Host1:23

    And turned against him viciously, so that it is now almost inevitable that Andy Burnham

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