The Prime Minister is facing backlash within his own party after catastrophic local election results.
Sir Keir Starmer has just faced a catastrophic Labour loss (Image: Getty)
MPs are calling for Sir Keir Starmer to resign after his party lost 1,406 seats in the local elections, and Labour lost control of Wales after 27 years. The Prime Minister admitted he was behind the defeats, but he said he is not leaving any time soon. The leader vowed to stay on, build a stronger and fairer country, and be “assertive” in their values.
Sir Keir has already faced farmer protests due to Inheritance Tax, anger from pensioners over proposals to cut Winter Fuel Allowance, and outrage over his choices of cabinet, with Angela Rayner having to resign due to underpaid tax, and Peter Mandelson embroiled in a Jeffrey Epstein scandal. But with MPs up and down the country calling for him to step aside, this week will surely be the most challenging of his career.
While Sir Keir has admitted responsibility, he said “that doesn’t mean tacking right or left” writing in the Guardian. He added: “It means bringing together a broad political movement, being assertive about our values, bold in our vision and addressing people’s demands. Unifying rather than dividing.”
It comes as Reform UK made monumental gains across the UK. Nigel Farage‘s party won 1,442 seats across the country, the most of any party. He described it as a “big, big day” for the party and the “reshaping of British politics”.
Reform UK almost doubled the number of Conservative seats, with a loss of 557 seats taking the party’s total to 773.
Interestingly, despite the huge losses, Kemi Badenoch is not facing backlash from within her own party. The Conservative Party chairman said they are “very keen to continue the progress” under Ms Badenoch, who said that “good strategy takes time”.
While Labour lost 1,406 seats, it still had the second-highest number of seats across the UK, with 997.