British Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and US President Donald Trump have both seized on Keir Starmer’s resignation announcement, using it to deliver sharp verdicts on his nearly two years as Prime Minister.

Badenoch, whose Conservative Party lost power to Labour in the July 2024 general election, described Starmer as a terrible prime minister and blamed his downfall on a series of policy failures.

She cited what she called the Family Farm Tax, increases in employer National Insurance contributions, weak defence spending, and an inability to develop domestic energy capacity as the defining failures of his administration.

Trump, writing on Truth Social, said Starmer had hurt himself badly over energy policy, adding that the Prime Minister had been slow to approve the use of a British military base in Cyprus during the US-Iran conflict.

Trump said the delay had been a bad move that damaged the US-UK relationship, though he wished Starmer well personally.

Starmer announced on Monday that he would step down as Labour leader, with a successor to be chosen before parliament returns in September.

He had faced mounting pressure from within his own party following Labour’s heavy losses in local council elections in May, which saw the party shed more than 1,000 seats.

Andy Burnham, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester who recently returned to parliament, is widely seen as the frontrunner to succeed Starmer. Leadership nominations are expected to open on July 9.