At his final PMQs, Starmer soaked up the love from all sides - and even some tenderness from Kemi

Keir Starmer's final appearance at Prime Minister's Questions before stepping down as Labour leader drew an unusual atmosphere to the Commons chamber — one that mixed valedictory warmth with moments of genuine, cross-party emotion.

Starmer, who has led Labour since 2020 and served as Prime Minister since 2024, faced a chamber that seemed determined to send him off with goodwill rather than the usual political combat. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who has clashed with Starmer across the dispatch box for two years, offered what MPs on both sides described as surprisingly tender remarks, acknowledging his public service and the personal toll of leadership.

The session saw MPs from all parties rise to pay tribute, with several backbenchers noting Starmer's role in stabilising the economy after the turbulence of the early 2020s and his government's focus on public service reform. Even the Scottish National Party's Westminster leader, a frequent antagonist, praised his commitment to the union while reiterating the constitutional disagreements that remain.

Starmer's own remarks were characteristically understated. He thanked the House, paid tribute to his staff and family, and offered a brief defence of his government's record on the NHS, green energy investment and housing. He avoided the temptation of a legacy tour, instead framing his departure as the natural close of a chapter that began with rebuilding trust and ends with the country in what he called "steadier hands."

The transition to his successor, widely expected to be the current Chancellor, will be managed over the summer. Starmer's departure marks the end of an era in which Labour moved from opposition chaos to governing majority in a single parliamentary term — a trajectory that will be studied by political strategists for years to come.