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Prime Minister Andy Burnham has paid tribute to Sir Keir Starmer for creating “a platform to change this country for the better” after his predecessor announced he will quit Parliament. Sir Keir revealed he is stepping away from Westminster because he believes the time is right to pursue new work focused on international affairs.

Speaking from the House of Commons despatch box as Prime Minister for the first time, Mr Burnham said: “(Sir Keir) has given this country a lifetime of public service, particularly for those fighting for justice. When (Sir Keir) delivered in this House on his promise to the Hillsborough families and everyone involved in the Hillsborough Law campaign, it was a moment I will never forget.” He said Sir Keir’s leadership took the Labour Party from “one of its worst defeats” to one “its best victories”, adding that his predecessor had “created a platform to change this country for the better”. The Prime Minister added: “We will use it well and we wish his family the very best for the future.”

Sir Keir’s decision comes less than two months after Andy Burnham succeeded him as both Prime Minister and Labour Party leader.

His departure from Downing Street followed a turbulent period for his government, marked by policy reversals, political setbacks and poor results for Labour at the local elections.

The former Prime Minister – who previously said he would serve out the rest of his term – will step down as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras, a move that will trigger a by-election in the north London seat.

He has informed local Labour constituency party staff of his departure after 11 years representing the constituency, and said he would back whoever is selected as the party’s candidate.

Mr Burnham began his Commons debut as Prime Minister by praising Sir Keir’s support for Ukraine and the Hillsborough Law campaign.

“He has given this country a lifetime of public service, Mr Speaker, particularly for those fighting for justice,” Mr Burnham said.

Sir Keir, a former director of public prosecutions, was first elected to the traditionally safe Labour seat in 2015.

After taking over the Labour leadership from Jeremy Corbyn in 2020, he led the party to a landslide election victory – with a 174-seat majority – some four years later.

But the mood of optimism among Labour activists, who hoped for a calm, stable government after the turmoil of the previous decade, dissipated amid a succession of high-profile U-turns, from welfare reform to digital ID, which created a sense of drift and indecision at the heart of Government.

Sir Keir’s interest in overseas affairs was apparent during his premiership, when his critics labelled him “never here Keir” because of the amount of time he spent on diplomatic missions abroad.

After he vacated Downing Street in July, No 10 originally said he would stay on as an MP until the next general election.