British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed he will remain in office despite mounting calls for his resignation.
Starmer told his cabinet on Tuesday that leadership continuity is essential. "The country expects us to govern. That is what I am doing and what we must continue to do as a cabinet," he told colleagues.
The prime minister acknowledged Labour’s losses in the recent local elections and reaffirmed his commitment to taking responsibility and delivering promised reforms.
Starmer also noted the Labour Party has procedures to challenge its leader, which have not been initiated. He described the past 48 hours as destabilising for the government, warning of real economic repercussions for the country and families.
On Monday, he gave a speech advocating for closer links with the EU, the nationalisation of British Steel and the recognition that "gradual change is no longer sufficient". Starmer hoped this message would allow him to remain British Prime Minister.
Pressure for Starmer’s resignation intensified after Thursday’s disappointing local election results, with over 80 of Labour’s 400-plus MPs calling for him to step down. Some ministers joined the demand, and one even resigned to force his hand, though unsuccessfully.
The prospect of a leadership contest has exposed divisions within the Labour Party.
On one side are members favouring Starmer’s centre-left approach, while others advocate for a leader who can bring back Labour’s left-wing faction after they were marginalised by the centrist party leadership.
