U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday rejected mounting pressure to step down after Labour suffered major losses in local elections, pledging to overcome growing skepticism within his party and among voters while pushing for closer ties with the European Union.
Starmer argued that he will "face up to the big challenges” and restore hope to the country, in part by forging closer ties with the European Union, six years after the U.K.'s acrimonious departure from the bloc.
"I know I have my doubters and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will,” Starmer said during a speech in London. He vowed to prove to millions of people "tired of a status quo that has failed them” that the government is on their side.
He said Labour is in "a battle for the soul of our nation,” and warned Britain will go down "a dark path” if Reform UK, the anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage, comes to power.
Starmer's position remains precarious. Labour lawmaker Catherine West, who had vowed to trigger a leadership challenge if the speech didn’t mark a major turning point, said she would hold off for now, though she urged Starmer to resign by September. Dozens of other lawmakers also have urged him to announce a departure date, with the number ticking up in the hours after the speech.
