Keir Starmer saying goodbye in the Commons, with David Lammy on his left and Rachel Reeves on his right Keir Starmer’s final appearance in the House of Commons as prime minister left multiple supporters looking rather emotional. The PM stood in the Chamber for his last prime minister’s questions on Wednesday afternoon and exchanged friendly barbs with the leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch. Right behind him, his ally and chancellor Rachel Reeves – who is widely expected to lose her job under Starmer’s successor Andy Burnham – looked downtrodden and on the cusp of tears. And the final question of the session went to a close friend of the prime minister’s, Labour MP Carolyn Harris, who struggled to hold back her emotions while singing Starmer’s praises. She said few had believed he could make the necessary changes to Labour when Starmer became party leader in 2020. “But today, because of his service and his leadership, children are growing up in a fairer Britain. We stand tall on the world stage. And every day we’ve seen his decency and his courage shine through,” she said, as her voice broke. 'This is the end of my political journey' Sir Keir Starmer finishes his last PMQs by responding to an emotional question from Carolyn Harris, one of his strongest backers and friends. He is then clapped out of the Commons by Labour MPs. Read more: https://t.co/rT6wFPbdxSpic.twitter.com/p26Vom7XAu — Sky News (@SkyNews) July 15, 2026 The prime minister, on the other hand, seemed completely composed as he thanked Harris for her friendship. He closed out his last session from the despatch box as PM by saying: “Every prime minister knows when they take up the torch that the day will come when they have to pass it on. That day has come for me. “This is the end of my political journey. “In six years, we went from historic defeat in 2019 to historic victory in 2024, and in two years in government I leave the country in better shape than I found it. I’m proud of everything that we have achieved.” He added: “To all those in the gallery, whose lives have been changed or improved by this Labour government, and all across the country who struggle to be seen or heard, you’re the reason I came into politics. “To my wife and children, I love you. Goodbye!” All of the Labour MPs and Lib Dem MPs gave Starmer a standing ovation as he exited the chamber. According to Patrick Maguire from The Times, some ministers “wept” when deputy PM David Lammy paid tribute to the outgoing leader during his final cabinet meeting on Wednesday, too. Starmer’s exit comes two months after Labour’s catastrophic performance in the May elections in England, Scotland and Wales. As Labour MPs called for the PM to resign, a path was cleared for Burnham, then Greater Manchester mayor, to return to the Commons and replace Starmer. He won the Makerfield by-election comfortably last month, prompting Starmer’s resignation. Burnham will be crowned as Labour leader on Friday and is set to receive the keys to Downing Street on Monday while Starmer returns to the backbenches. Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster. Related... Trump Has Come Up With A Bizarre Reason For Keir Starmer Quitting As PM