Starmer Pledges to Continue Despite Labour's By-Election Humiliation
Sir Keir Starmer has defiantly vowed to "keep on fighting" following Labour's humiliating third-place finish in the Gorton and Denton by-election. The Prime Minister acknowledged the result was "disappointing" and that voters were "frustrated," but insisted he would not step down despite mounting pressure from within his own party.
Intense Pressure on Labour Leader
The by-election in the previously rock-solid Greater Manchester constituency saw the Green Party's Hannah Spencer emerge victorious with 14,980 votes, securing a majority of 4,402. Labour trailed behind both Zack Polanski's Greens and Nigel Farage's Reform UK, marking a significant blow to Starmer's leadership.
Speaking to reporters, Starmer faced direct questions about his future. "I came into politics late in life to fight for change for those people who need it," he declared. "I will keep on fighting for those people for as long as I've got breath in my body."
The Labour leader also pledged to "fight against extremes in politics" on both left and right that he claimed threatened to "tear our country apart."
Internal Party Criticism and Calls for Change
Within Labour ranks, the reaction has been one of alarm and demands for immediate action. Former deputy leader Angela Rayner described the result as a "wake-up call" for the party, urging colleagues to "be braver" and "rededicate" themselves to a Labour agenda.
More critical voices emerged from backbenchers, with Norwich South MP Clive Lewis telling the Press Association the defeat had been "a punch in the face" for both Labour and Starmer. He accused the government of alienating core supporters and warned that without "a clean break," the party risked losing the country for a generation.
Trade union leaders joined the chorus of criticism:
- TSSA transport union general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust demanded Starmer resign "immediately"
- Unite general secretary Sharon Graham called for the party to "ditch the gimmicks and get back to being Labour"
- Fire Brigades Union chief Steve Wright warned of "heavy losses" in upcoming May elections without immediate course correction
Opposition Leaders Seize on Labour's Weakness
Green Party leader Zack Polanski declared the result represented "an existential crisis for the Labour Party." At a victory rally in Manchester, he argued that "no longer can they try and scare people into saying they have to vote for something because they're worried about the least-worst option."
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, whose candidate finished a distant fourth with just 706 votes, claimed the outcome "shows Keir Starmer's premiership is finished." She added pointedly: "He is in office but not in power. If he had any integrity he would go."
Starmer Downplays National Implications
Despite the criticism, Starmer sought to minimize the by-election's broader significance. In a message to Labour MPs, he acknowledged the result "hurts" but argued the Greens lacked the resources, activist base, or local knowledge to replicate such victories nationally.
"We've seen that before," he noted, drawing parallels with the Liberal Democrats' mid-term by-election successes that never translated to national victories, and George Galloway's two mid-term wins that weren't sustained in general elections.
Leadership Questions Remain Unresolved
While discontent simmers among Labour backbenchers, some MPs suggest the absence of a clear successor might temporarily protect Starmer's position. One MP told PA anonymously: "The succession choices currently on the table take us back, not forward, so it's the worst of all worlds."
The defeat comes ahead of crucial local and devolved elections in May, with warnings that Starmer's days in Number 10 could be numbered unless Labour's fortunes improve dramatically. The Prime Minister now faces the dual challenge of uniting his fractured party while convincing voters that his leadership remains viable despite this significant electoral setback.
