Outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated he believes Labour would have won the 2029 general election, reflecting on his tenure in one of his final interviews as premier. Starmer is currently en route from Kyiv, where he held a final meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, and will miss an event confirming Andy Burnham as his replacement as Labour leader.
Starmer, who is set to hand over the premiership on Monday, described his departure as a move made "with good grace" despite what he characterized as an "ouster by MPs." He expressed his commitment to an "orderly transition" and pledged full support to Burnham and the incoming government. "I want the government to succeed, I want the country to succeed," Starmer said. "And therefore my last acts as Prime Minister will be doing what I can to do that."
As he prepares to step down less than two years after securing a significant election majority, Starmer asserted that he had established a "sound foundation" for the party. "There is now I think a sound footing, a sound foundation, and the party can go on and win a second term, which is what I always thought we could do," he stated. "We've built the platform to go on and win in 2029. We hand over the country and the party in good shape after six and a half years from a state where the party, as I say, it was a question of whether it would exist."
This optimism regarding future electoral success contrasts with recent polling data. For much of Starmer's time in office, Labour has reportedly trailed in public opinion surveys. A recent YouGov poll indicated a five-point lead for the Reform party, though this margin has narrowed since Burnham's expected succession became clear. Starmer's personal approval ratings have reportedly reached a low point following a significant decline since July 2024.