Sir Keir Starmer could be appointed to a job in Scarborough

​The former prime minister has said he will quit as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras and could be appointed to a role in Scarborough.

​Members of Parliament who wish to resign from the House of Commons are appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead in Scarborough, or of the Chiltern Hundreds.

​​The appointment, made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is a procedural device that allows members of parliament to resign from the House of Commons.

​​The “legal fiction” is used to circumvent a rule forbidding MPs from resigning.

​A Treasury spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that an announcement on which role Sir Keir is appointed to is likely to be made on the evening of Tuesday, September 1.

​In July, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was made the Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, Scarborough, following his decision to resign as an MP and fight to reclaim his seat.

​​​“The Steward and Bailiffs of the Chiltern Hundreds and of the Manor of Northstead were positions traditionally paid for by the Crown.

​​“In modern times, they are unpaid, formal titles that are applied for when an MP needs to disqualify themselves from the Commons,” the UK Parliament website states.

Keir Starmer MP. House Of Commons

​Announcing his resignation in an interview with the Camden New Journal, Sir Keir, who has been an MP since 2015, said: “I will now focus on other things and that will be international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world. I will also continue, as I have done for a long time now with others, work on combating violence against women and girls.”

​He added: “I think once you’ve been prime minister, it’s important to answer the question: what are you going to do next? Having decided I’m going to concentrate on international affairs, I think it’s right to step down.”