Key Facts

• Sir Keir Starmer's government was marked by several U-turns, including the cancellation of the winter fuel payment for many pensioners, which was eventually reversed, and a row over freebies dubbed "passes for glasses" by some.
• The prime minister's humiliating climbdown on his planned changes to the benefits system was a crucial moment, as it led to Labour MPs collectively realising they could push the government around, resulting in a massive loss in authority for Downing Street.
• Sir Keir Starmer had lost the capacity to viably govern, similar to former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, who were brought down by scandal and economic calamity, respectively.
• The appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as ambassador in Washington was a source of acute embarrassment, as he was eventually sacked in September, but the row dogged the prime minister for months.
• The prime minister's resignation comes after a series of events, including the elections in May, which solidified in the minds of countless MPs that their leader was deeply unpopular and costing their party support, making his imminent departure nearly inevitable.