Leader of the United Kingdom Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has described Keir Starmer as “a terrible Prime Minister” following his resignation as Labour leader and as Prime Minister.
Starmer announced on Monday that he was stepping down after less than two years in office, saying he would quit as Labour leader while continuing as prime minister until a successor is chosen.
Responding in a post on X, Badenoch blamed Starmer’s government for what she called a string of policy failures, insisting that Britain was “not ungovernable.”
She accused the Labour administration of raising National Insurance contributions, introducing what she referred to as the “Family Farm Tax,” abandoning meaningful welfare reform, underfunding defence, failing to expand domestic oil and gas production, and appointing Peter Mandelson before allegedly misleading the public about the circumstances surrounding the decision.
“Hiking national insurance. The Family Farm Tax. Giving up on real welfare reform. Not funding our defence. Not drilling our own oil and gas. Appointing Peter Mandelson… then lying about what had happened.
“Britain is not ungovernable. Keir Starmer is a terrible Prime Minister,” she wrote.
Badenoch further argued that the issues went beyond Starmer himself, claiming Labour lawmakers were focused on raising taxes to support expanded welfare spending.
“But the problem isn’t just Starmer. Labour MPs only want higher taxes to hand out more benefits, as the Welfare Secretary has pointed out. These are Labour’s choices and their values, regardless of who is running the party,” she added.
She also called for a return to Conservative leadership, saying, “We need to get Britain working again. We need the Conservatives.”
Starmer announced his resignation after months of mounting political pressure, policy reversals, and growing public dissatisfaction.
In his resignation address outside 10 Downing Street, the outgoing prime minister said every decision he had taken was aimed at putting Britain first, adding that he would remain in office until the Labour Party elects a new leader.
