Starmer pledges to prove his doubters wrong but faces a wave of resignation calls

LONDON (AP) 鈥� British pledged Monday to prove the 鈥渄oubters鈥� in his own party and among the electorate wrong as he struggled to fight off growing after for his Labour Party.

Starmer said he would 鈥渇ace up to the big challenges鈥� and restore hope to the country, in part by forging closer ties with the European Union, six years after the U.K.’s from the bloc.

鈥淚 know I have my doubters and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will,鈥� Starmer said during a speech in London intended to kickstart his fightback against detractors.

It did not appear to have the intended effect. In the hours after the speech a steady stream of Labour lawmakers spoke to the media or posted on social media saying Starmer should resign, either now or soon.

Several of those calling for him to go were ministerial aides, in an apparently coordinated move aimed at putting pressure on Starmer’s Cabinet to deliver an ultimatum, perhaps at its weekly meeting on Tuesday.

Labour despondent at election losses

Labour has been plunged into gloom by heavy losses last week in local elections across England and legislative votes in Scotland and Wales. The elections have been interpreted as on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he swept to power in a landslide .

Starmer’s government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair and ease the cost of living, and been hamstrung by on issues including welfare reform. He has been further hurt by his disastrous decision to appoint , a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain鈥檚 ambassador to Washington.

Last week鈥檚 elections saw Labour squeezed from both right and left, losing votes to both Reform UK and the 鈥渆co-populist鈥� Green Party. The result reflects the increasing fragmentation of British politics, long dominated by Labour and the Conservatives.

Starmer had hoped to regain momentum with his speech and an ambitious set of legislative plans to be set out in a speech Wednesday by King Charles III at the State Opening of Parliament.

In Monday’s speech, he vowed to prove to millions of people 鈥渢ired of a status quo that has failed them鈥� that the government is on their side.

He said Labour is in 鈥渁 battle for the soul of our nation,鈥� and warned Britain will go down 鈥渁 dark path鈥� if , the anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage, comes to power.

Starmer told an audience of party lawmakers and activists that the government will take control of Britain’s energy, economic and defense security and make the country fairer. He announced plans to nationalize what is left of the once-mighty , a move that could save some industrial jobs in an area where working-class voters have deserted Labour for Reform UK.

Starmer also pledged to put Britain 鈥渁t the heart of Europe鈥� and forge closer ties with the 27-nation EU. Farage, who spearheaded the Brexit campaign, and Reform UK oppose any move to get closer to the EU.

Brexit has been a drag on the British economy, and President Donald Trump’s 鈥淎merica First鈥� economic and foreign policy has spurred Britain to seek closer defense, security and economic cooperation with its European neighbors.

Labour supporters are largely anti-Brexit, which failed to deliver the benefits its backers promised. But Starmer has been reluctant to reopen a debate that bitterly divided the country. He has ruled out seeking to reenter the EU, or to rejoin the bloc’s customs union or single market, things that would make a big economic difference.

Rivals weigh making a move

British politics allows parties to change leader midterm without the need for a new election.

None of the high-profile Labour politicians considered potential challengers to Starmer 鈥� including former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Health Secretary and Greater Manchester Mayor 鈥� has yet called for him to resign.

Rayner did not explicitly call for Starmer to quit, but accused him of presiding over 鈥渁 toxic culture of cronyism鈥� and said the government must 鈥渟tay true to Labour and social democratic values鈥� and ease the cost of living for working people.

Labour lawmaker Catherine West, who had vowed to trigger a leadership challenge if Monday’s speech didn鈥檛 mark a major turning point, said she would hold off for now, though she urged Starmer to resign by September.

More than 60 other lawmakers, out of Labour’s total of 403, also urged him to announce a departure date, with the number ticking up in the hours after the speech.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we saw a plan from the prime minister this morning in order to implement the kind of change that this country needs,,” lawmaker Chris Curtis told Sky 太子探花.

Another legislator, Joe Morris, said: 鈥渢he message from last week鈥檚 elections was clear: The prime minister has lost the confidence of the public.鈥�

But some who attended Starmer’s speech said kicking out the man who led them to victory in 2024 would be counterproductive.

鈥淵ou can’t be changing prime ministers two years in,鈥� said Kevin Craig, a former local councilor in London. 鈥淚t’s really important we stay grown-up now.鈥�

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