Keir Starmer has insisted he will prove his doubters wrong and fight any leadership challenge, as he used a major speech to warn that Labour faces 'very dangerous opponents' on the right. The prime minister said he would not walk away from his responsibilities, and vowed to take a more robust approach to counter the threat posed by Nigel Farage's Reform UK party.
In a set of policy pledges, Starmer promised to seek a new deal with the European Union, including an ambitious youth mobility scheme, as well as nationalising British Steel and introducing a guaranteed offer of jobs, training or work placements for young people. He also said he would ban 'far-right agitators' from entering Britain to speak at a nationalist march on Saturday.
The speech comes amid speculation over his leadership, with some Labour MPs suggesting Health Secretary Wes Streeting could launch a challenge, though his allies deny this. Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, is also seen as a potential contender, but could again be blocked by Labour's national executive committee from returning to parliament via a byelection.
Starmer acknowledged Labour's historically poor election results, including coming third in Wales, failing to advance in Scotland, and losing more than 1,500 councillors across England, with councils such as Sunderland, Barnsley, Lambeth and Hackney falling to rivals. He admitted the government's initial gloomy messaging was a mistake, saying Labour needed to inject more hope and optimism into its communication.
Rejecting calls to resign, Starmer said he would not inflict the chaos of a leadership contest on the country, adding: 'I know I have my doubters, and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will.' He warned that critics within the party risked opening the door to Reform, describing the coming period as 'a battle for the soul of our nation'.
