What led to the resignation of British Prime Minister Shi Jixian?
Author, Becky Morton
and
Author, Brian Wheeler
Role, BBC political correspondent
Published 1 minute ago
Reading time: 4 minutes
Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation as leader of the Labor Party, which means that his term as British Prime Minister is coming to an end. Speaking outside his official residence in Downing Street, he said he would stay in office until a successor is chosen.
His political popularity has plummeted in a shocking way. Less than two years ago, he was celebrating Labour's landslide general election victory and looked set to dominate British politics for years.
Now, he has failed to fulfill his promised "Ten-Year National Renewal Plan" and has been ousted by his own party.
In an emotional resignation speech, he said the question had been asked within the party: "Am I the best suited to lead us into the next general election".
"My congressional caucus has given the answer, and I accept it with dignity."
One of the reasons why Shi Jixian won the 2024 election was the public’s dissatisfaction with the former conservative government. The anger stems from the scandal over parties held in Downing Street during the pandemic and the economic turmoil caused by Conservative Prime Minister Liz Truss's mini-budget.
Mr Szeh positioned Labour's top priority as economic stability, and the strategy worked.
He entered the 2024 election with the slogan "Change" and put his political brand at the core of the campaign: steady, capable, and embodying the highest ethical standards.
But his victory came amid historic lows in the national vote, and his popularity among voters plummeted in weeks after a series of missteps and policy U-turns.
He has portrayed himself as a wise, pragmatic leader who will always put the interests of the country first, and is a serious figure in a serious era.
By the end, his critics within the party were growing, with many Labor MPs saying he lacked clear ideas and was, simply put, not good at politics. The most common criticism is that Shi Jixian lacks a strong enough sense of purpose and does not know what he wants to achieve after taking power.
He entered politics late in life, becoming a member of Congress in his 50s, and had previously had a successful career in law. His opponents claimed he lacked the communication skills to get Labour's message across. In a political age that values sincerity and emotional appeal, he sometimes appears stiff and wooden.
He and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves warned early in their tenure in Downing Street that the economic problems they inherited from the Conservatives were far worse than expected and that taxes would have to be raised.
Shi Jixian later admitted that this was a mistake and that they should have given voters more hope.
However, polling experts pointed out that the moment when Shi Jixian's popularity began to decline was the government's decision to cancel winter fuel subsidies for 10 million retirees in July 2024.
He made a sharp U-turn on the policy last year, but by then he had established a pattern of backtracking or changing positions whenever the policy failed to win support from the public or increasingly rebellious lawmakers in his party.
Just three months after becoming prime minister, he returned more than 6,000 pounds (about $8,000) in gifts and entertainment he had received since taking office, including tickets to a Taylor Swift concert.
While these were within the rules, reports of officials accepting free entertainment worth thousands of pounds from wealthy donors were not popular with the public.
An unexpected friendship with Trump
Although Shi Jixian faced difficulties at home, his performance on the international stage was appreciated.
He forged an unlikely friendship with U.S. President Donald Trump and played a leading role in European negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
However, his focus on foreign affairs and frequent foreign visits have also led critics to call him "the Shih who is never here."
The special relationship between Britain and the United States has become increasingly tense after Shi Jixian refused to be drawn into the war with Iran, although polls showed that the Prime Minister's approach had the support of voters.
On the domestic front, Sze faces a doctors' strike while the number of migrants arriving in Britain by dinghy continues to rise.
Although he has prioritized economic growth, it remains weak and the fallout from wars in Ukraine and Iran has added to cost-of-living pressures facing the UK.
This challenging context, combined with the government's own failings, was exploited by the right-wing Reform Party. The party overtook Labor in the spring 2025 polls and has held the lead ever since.
Last May, the Reform Party achieved results in the election, but Labor paid the price. The Reform Party won local council and mayoral offices for the first time, as well as a parliamentary seat in Runcorn and Helsby by-elections.
Mandelson scandal
With Shi Jixian's personal poll ratings falling to historic lows, dissatisfaction with his leadership within the party continues to grow.
Last fall, the government suffered a series of blows. Lord Mandelson was fired as ambassador to the United States due to his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner also resigned after failing to pay enough taxes on an apartment.
Controversy over Mandelson's appointment has reignited after the latest batch of Epstein documents were released, showing the depth of his relationship with Lord Mandelson.
Anger erupted further when it emerged that Lord Mandelson had been granted a security clearance for the post despite concerns raised by reviewing officials.
Although Shi Jixian was not informed of the matter until April, it led to accusations that he misled Congress when he claimed that the appointment process had "completely followed due process."
The turmoil also further casts doubt on Shi Jixian's control of Downing Street's operations and his judgment in appointing Lord Mandelson in the first place.
Although he held on for a few more weeks, the Prime Minister's authority was slipping away. Some polls suggest he is the most unpopular prime minister in recent history.
Shi and his core team have no idea why he is so unpopular with voters.
Jonathan Hinder, the Labor MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, told The Times: "You get the sense from talking to voters that Shi Ji-hsien seems to have no position on the one hand and is extremely moralistic on the other; his style embodies the kind of human resources proceduralism that people are most disgusted with in the workplace."
The May election result was the last straw for many Labor MPs. Labor was ousted in Wales, recorded its worst-ever results in Scottish parliamentary elections and lost nearly 1,500 local MPs in England.
More than 100 Labor MPs publicly called on him to step down, and Wes Streeting also resigned as health secretary, criticizing the government for "drifting" and lacking a "vision".
Mr Sy briefly insisted on staying in office, pledging bolder action and arguing that under his leadership the country was starting to emerge from the woods, with NHS waiting lists falling and the number of legal immigrants and smugglers smuggling on boats also declining.
Bayend has long coveted the premiership. He is running in the Makerfield by-election in northwest England, with the goal of returning to parliament to challenge for the leadership of the Labor Party.
Shi Jixian did not name Bayend in his resignation speech and announced that an election would be held to elect a new leader of the Labor Party. It's unclear whether other candidates will emerge.
Standing in front of the podium outside his official residence, he said: "Walking down this street two years ago was the proudest moment in my life."
He pledged full support for his successor. It was not until the end of the speech that an emotion rarely revealed during his tenure emerged.
"As I leave the most important position in the country, I will spend more time on the job that matters most, which is trying to be the best husband I can to my wonderful wife, Vic. She has been my rock in the good times and the bad; and (I) trying to be the best father I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and my joy."
