The BBC has put out a video in which MPs from the West of England look back on Keir Starmer's time as Prime Minister. The video was published on 17 July 2026 in the England section of BBC News, and it tagged topics like the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, Bristol and Gloucestershire.

Starmer's resignation means the country is now waiting to find out who will replace him. According to the BBC's live coverage from 22 June 2026, Andy Burnham is described as the front-runner — the person most likely to win. At least two other Labour MPs (Members of Parliament) are also said to be thinking about standing for the leadership. The same BBC coverage noted that Starmer met Andy Burnham for the first time since the Makerfield by-election, which is a local vote that happens when a sitting MP leaves their seat.

Official records from Parliament, called Hansard, show that Starmer was still serving as Prime Minister as recently as 29 April 2026. He appeared in the House of Commons several times in early 2026 — on 4 February, 11 February, 25 March, and 29 April. The BBC also published a video of his full resignation speech on its website. Reuters, the news agency, reported that Starmer got a standing ovation at his final session of Prime Minister's Questions, the weekly event where MPs quiz the Prime Minister in the Commons.

The BBC's video focuses on MPs from Bristol and Gloucestershire, rather than Labour's traditional strongholds in northern England or London. The West of England has been a useful area for Labour in recent years because it reflects a mix of suburban and small-city voters. What MPs there say about Starmer's time in charge could be different from what Labour MPs in safer or more marginal seats think.

The wider picture is that the Labour Party is trying to manage a leadership change while several things are still up in the air. Burnham is the front-runner, but the fact that other MPs are considering bids means the contest is not yet settled. The meeting between Starmer and Burnham was their first since the Makerfield by-election, and it may lead people to ask whether Starmer is hinting at a preferred successor or simply following the usual politeness that comes with a handover. Neither explanation is confirmed by the available reporting.

The sequence matters because of timing. A standing ovation at a final Prime Minister's Questions is a normal parliamentary tradition. But the speed at which Burnham has become the front-runner, combined with the possibility of other challengers, means this contest still feels open. The Hansard record confirms Starmer was Prime Minister as recently as 29 April 2026. The resignation speech, the standing ovation, and the leadership contest all came after that point. With the BBC's 17 July video adding regional MPs' voices to the assessment of his time in Downing Street, the picture of what comes after Starmer is slowly building — but the final line-up of candidates and the outcome of the contest are not yet decided.