Aylesbury MP breaks silence on Keir Starmer's resignation as Prime Minister

Aylesbury’s Labour MP Laura Kyrke Smith released a statement yesterday reflecting on Mr Starmer’s time leading the Government.

She highlighted both successes and failures made by Labour since it came to power in 2024.

Ms Kyrke-Smith said: “Labour’s success in the 2024 election put the country on a path of change for the better, and we have Keir Starmer to thank for that.

“Since then, he has worked with deep commitment to set that change in motion: Putting the economy on a steadier footing, starting to improve public services and unlocking opportunities for young people, including introducing unprecedented new protections for children online. History will judge him kindly, and rightly so.

"But across Aylesbury and the villages, residents have consistently told me that their trust in us is broken. From the plans to cut the winter fuel allowance so deeply, to increasing taxes for farmers and cutting Personal Independence Payments for disabled people, they don’t believe we have their best interests at heart. While these policies were rightly then adjusted, these mistakes have hidden our progress and undermined confidence in us as a government.

"Personally, I was also very troubled by the Defence Secretary’s resignation. We are living in an incredibly unstable time, with decades-old global norms and institutions crumbling and serious threats to our own security. As the former head of a humanitarian aid agency, I tolerated cuts to our international aid budget last year. I did so because I recognised the urgency of increasing defence spending and I know that means making tough choices. But it’s now clear that the aid cuts have not supported the meaningful scale-up in defence spending that we need.”

John Healey resigned as defence secretary on June 11 saying that the Treasury’s plans for military spending fell “well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time”.

Ms Kyrke-Smith concluded her statement saying: “I would like to thank Keir Starmer for his service to my constituents and to our country. He spoke with characteristic thoughtfulness and decency today and I wish him and his family well.

“Our task now is to focus on the future. We need a Prime Minister who can think boldly and bring people together to address the challenges ahead, here in Aylesbury and the villages, across the country and internationally. This is what I will be looking for in Keir Starmer’s successor."