Sir Keir has been MP for Holborn and St Pancras since 2015 and was elected Prime Minister in 2024.
Sir Keir Starmer to step down as MP (Gareth Fuller/PA)
PA wire
He added: “It has been a huge honor and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country and succeed Frank Dobson, who was such an outstanding MP for the constituency and a member of the last Labor government.”
The seat of Holborn and St Pancras was created in 1983 and has only ever been held by the Labor Party.
When will the by-election to replace Sir Keir Starmer take place?
The date for the Holborn and St Pancras by-elections has yet to be confirmed.
But The Standard understands that the competition is expected to take place on Thursday, October 8, or possibly a week later on the 15th, after the competition order was issued on Monday afternoon.
The process of triggering the by-election began with Labor Party chief Anneliese Midgley “putting forward the order”.
This prompted a motion in the House of Commons asking MPs to agree to a new election to replace the outgoing MP.
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle then asked MPs to decide whether to agree to the proposal.
Since the motion was supported by the MPs, it became an order of the Speaker, who in turn issues a warrant to the Secretary of the Crown, who then sends the order to the returning officer.
The by-election must be held within 21 to 27 working days of the order being issued.
Sir Keir will then leave the House of Commons once a new MP is elected to take his place.
Candidates standing for the Labor Party in the by-election had until Friday to apply.
Outlining the candidate selection schedule, the Labor Party said on its website that applications would open on Tuesday and close at midday on September 4.
Comprehensive checks and interviews took place on Monday to narrow down the list of candidates.
The Labor Party challenger will be selected following an election campaign and selection meeting on Wednesday 9 September.
