Starmer said he has no plans to step down as prime minister — Bloomberg
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told members of the government that he has no intention of stepping down despite pressure within the Labour Party and calls for his resignation. According to him, the process of changing the party leader has not yet begun, so there are no grounds for him to step down as prime minister.
Discussions regarding the internal party situation are ongoing in British political circles, but no official steps toward a leadership change have been announced yet.
This is reported by Bloomberg.
Markets reacted to the political crisis
During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Starmer acknowledged responsibility for the party’s poor performance in the local elections, but emphasized that the official process to replace the party leader had not yet begun. The prime minister stated that the past two days had “created instability” in the country and had economic consequences for British families.
Amid the political uncertainty, British financial markets reacted with a decline. The pound sterling fell against the dollar, and the yield on 30-year UK government bonds rose to its highest level since 1998. Investors fear that a change in leadership could lead to increased government spending and higher borrowing costs.
Who Could Replace Starmer
The political crisis in the UK intensified after dozens of Labour MPs called on Starmer to set a timeline for his departure from office. According to Bloomberg’s tally, more than 81 MPs have already called for his resignation. If they back a single candidate, the party could launch a leadership election.
Among the possible contenders for the position of prime minister, British media and analysts name Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. At the same time, Starmer himself stated that the government must continue its work and focus on domestic and foreign policy.
As a reminder, Starmer refusedto resign following Labour’s defeat.
Already, 41 Labour Party MPs have publicly called on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down as party leader.
Earlier, Starmer noted growing tensions in relations with the U.S.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during which they discussed increasing pressure on the aggressor. The leaders paid particular attention to the fight against the Russian shadow fleet and London’s contributions to the PURL program to strengthen the Ukrainian army.
