Starmer Vows to Stay On Despite Labour’s Worst Local Election Defeat in 30 Years
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is refusing to resign after Labour suffered its heaviest losses in local elections since 1994, insisting his government is a “10-year project”.
Speaking in London on Monday, Starmer acknowledged voter frustration but said he would “prove the doubters wrong”.
“I know that people are frustrated by the state of Britain. Frustrated by politics, and some people frustrated with me,” he said. “I know I have my doubters and I know I need to prove them wrong. And I will”.
Labour lost nearly 1,500 council seats and control of 35 councils across England, Scotland and Wales, with Reform UK making major gains and becoming the main opposition in several regions. The result has triggered open rebellion inside Labour, with around 30 MPs publicly questioning Starmer’s leadership.
Former junior Foreign Minister Catherine West said she would listen to Starmer’s Monday speech before deciding whether to seek the 81 MP signatures needed to trigger a leadership contest. She told the BBC: “We will find out”.
In an interview with The Observer, Starmer dismissed speculation he would step down, saying: “I’m not going to walk away from the job I was elected to do in July 2024. I’m not going to plunge the country into chaos”.
Cabinet members have largely stood by him so far. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said Labour had received “a real kicking from the voters, there’s no escaping that”, but added Starmer would set out a “fresh direction” for Britain.
Veteran Labour MP John McDonnell warned against rushing into a contest, while Ian Byrne said a leadership race could be “manipulated by powerful figures within the Party establishment”. Speculation has swirled around Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as a possible replacement, but he is not currently an MP and cannot stand.
If Starmer survives and serves a second term, he would become Britain’s third-longest continuously serving Prime Minister in the last 200 years, behind Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. He is required to call the next general election by 2029.