Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that whoever succeeds him must dedicate the same amount of time to international crises and diplomacy as he did, pushing back against suggestions that the next leader should focus primarily on domestic issues. Starmer, who announced last month that he would be stepping down after two years in office, told the BBC in an interview yesterday that foreign and domestic policy cannot be separated, as Britain faces an increasingly unstable world.
“This debate often comes up — what is the right balance between managing international affairs and managing domestic affairs? They are one and the same,” Starmer said.
This marks the first interview given by the head of the British government since he announced his resignation on 22 June. The Labour leader is expected to remain in post until his successor takes over in mid-July.
When asked whether a prime minister could afford to spend less time on diplomacy than he had, Starmer replied: “No, I don’t think that’s possible.”
Keir Starmer: The sharp criticism he faced
The outgoing British Prime Minister has faced criticism from some of his rivals over the amount of time he devoted to foreign policy. MP Andy Burnham, who is widely expected to succeed Starmer, has pledged to focus on domestic priorities, including living standards, housing, infrastructure, and devolving greater powers to Britain’s regions.
In a video titled “With Keir” posted on X today, Starmer defended his focus on international affairs during his time as Prime Minister, saying that Britain had restored its reputation on the world stage. He cited support for Ukraine and participation in international coalitions among his key achievements.
“The fact that other countries now look to us for that leadership is something I am very proud of having achieved over the two years in government,” he said.
Among his other key achievements, Keir Starmer also highlighted the stabilisation of the economy, a reduction in child poverty, and improvements to the National Health Service.
