West Devon MPs have criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership following news of the Prime Minister’s resignation.

Sir Keir announced his intention to step down at an emotional press conference outside Number 10 after mounting pressure for him to go.

Addressing the nation yesterday, Monday, June 22, he said six years ago he inherited a Labour Party that was “politically, financially and morally bankrupt” and that the party should be proud of what it had achieved in the two years since winning the election.

All eyes are now on Andy Burnham, the former Labour mayor of Greater Manchester and the favourite to succeed Sir Keir, who returned to Parliament as the new MP for Makerfield after being elected last week.

Responding to the PM’s resignation, MP for Tavistock and Torridge Sir Geoffrey Cox said: “The Prime Minister has resigned less than two years after winning a huge landslide election victory because he possessed neither the conviction nor the courage to lead. There is no evidence that Andy Burnham will do any better with a party that, as senior Cabinet Minister Pat McFadden has despairingly remarked, always asks, ‘who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others?’

“The pressures and demands of government require serious characters with the discipline and courage to work out serious policies to mend the distorted values that undermine our society and follow them through. Only Kemi Badenoch’s Conservative Party will do that.”

MP for Central Devon and Shadow Chancellor, Sir Mel Stride argued that “the problem isn’t just Starmer.”

He said: "Workers are worse off, taxes are higher, and Britain is weaker. That is Keir Starmer's legacy. Labour has squeezed the very people who get up early, work hard and play by the rules, yet the benefits bill keeps growing and our national security keeps slipping down the priority list.

"Andy Burnham offers no real change - just the same Labour playbook of tax, borrow, and spend. The problem isn't just Starmer. It's a Labour Party that keeps asking working people to pay more while getting less in return. Britain can't afford another three years of it."

However, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, Fred Thomas said he had “great respect for the role Sir Keir had played in leading Labour back into government”, but he had “taken the right decision today”. 

He said:  “We saw in Makerfield that Labour can bring hope to ordinary people, unite the progressive vote, and comfortably defeat the politics of division. There is a huge opportunity to better communicate with residents the journey we are on to securing a better future for Britain.

“I have listened to residents across Plymouth who are broadly supportive of what Labour has done in government, including saving the NHS and bringing net migration down, but were not able to support Keir Starmer personally for whatever reason.

“I remain fiercely proud to be a Labour MP, and completely committed to delivering on the promises of our manifesto: to make people’s lives better, fairer and more secure, here in Plymouth.”

Nominations for the position of PM have to be in by July 9 and a decision is expected before Parliament’s summer recess a week latef. The new leader will be in post when Parliament returns in September.