UK PM Keir Starmer Under Pressure Following Election Defeat

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1355 EAT on Monday 11 May 2026

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure over his political future amid growing calls from lawmakers for him to step down following the Labour Party’s heavy losses in local elections.

Labour backbencher Catherine West urged senior party figures to “move quickly” to replace Starmer, warning that the party risked deeper divisions if decisive action was not taken.

West said she intended to rally support among colleagues by emailing fellow MPs on Monday morning if no alternative leadership challenge emerged. She argued that the election results reflected widespread dissatisfaction within the party and among voters.

More than 30 Labour MPs have called on Sir Keir Starmer to resign or set out a timetable for his departure, intensifying pressure on the Prime Minister following a bruising set of local election results.

Among those breaking ranks is his former ally Josh Simons, who wrote in The Times that Starmer had “lost the country”.

The calls come after Labour suffered heavy losses across England, including the loss of nearly 1,500 councillors, with voters shifting support largely to Reform UK and the Greens. The results have been widely viewed within the party as a severe setback, exposing growing dissatisfaction with Labour’s performance in government.

In Wales, Labour’s dominance collapsed after First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her seat, marking the end of the party’s 27-year hold on power in the region. In Scotland, the Scottish National Party maintained its position, while Labour finished second.

Despite the backlash, some senior figures have defended Starmer’s leadership. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told Sky News she does not believe “a leadership contest and all of the problems that that would bring is the answer”.

Starmer is expected to attempt to reset his premiership in a major speech on Monday, ahead of the King’s Speech on Wednesday. According to Reuters, he is set to argue that his government will be “defined by rebuilding our relationship and by putting Britain at the heart of Europe”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman to senior government roles on Saturday, in what is widely interpreted as an effort to consolidate support within the party.

A leadership challenge in the Labour Party requires backing from at least 81 Labour MPs. Potential contenders include Health Secretary Wes Streeting, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

Keir Starmer has led the government since 2024, when Labour ended 14 years of Conservative rule in a landslide general election victory. However, his administration has faced declining approval ratings in recent months, amid public backlash over measures including the decision to reduce winter fuel payments during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

The government has also been affected by political controversy surrounding UK ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson, following scrutiny over his past associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Meanwhile, political momentum has shifted toward opposition parties, with the right-wing Reform UK gaining support and the Green Party also increasing its profile under leader Zack Polanski, who has been an outspoken critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

-Aljazeera

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