British Prime Minister Keir Starmer rejected calls for his resignation on Tuesday, telling ministers that he would "get on with governing" despite a "destabilizing" 48 hours marked by growing calls for him to announce a timetable for his departure following a poor performance in local elections.
At a meeting of his cabinet, Starmer, who has held the top job for less than two years, reiterated that, while he takes responsibility for one of his Labour Party's worst election defeats, there had been no official move to trigger a leadership contest. Four...
AI Brief
Your highlights
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer defied calls to resign on Tuesday, telling ministers he would "get on with governing" despite a "destabilizing" 48 hours of growing calls to set out a timetable for his departure after a disappointing performance in local elections. At a meeting of his cabinet, Starmer, who has held the top job for less than two years, repeated that, while he took responsibility for one of his Labour Party's worst election defeats, there had been no official move to trigger a leadership contest. Four ministers expressed their support for him. This was the latest pledge from Starmer to continue his premiership, which has been plagued by scandal and policy U-turns since he won a large majority at a national election in 2024. On Monday, he promised to be bolder in tackling the problems besetting Britain in an attempt to secure his political future. In a nod to an increase in borrowing costs on the markets due to fears of another bout of political instability in Britain, Starmer said that "the past 48 hours have been destabilizing for the government, and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families." "The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader, and that has not been triggered," Starmer told his cabinet, according to his Downing Street office. "The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing, and what we must do as a cabinet."