""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."
"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."
"Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, a powerful lawmaker often seen as a potential challenger, said the party is facing its "last chance" to change. Rayner did not explicitly call for Starmer to quit, but accused him of presiding over "a toxic culture of cronyism" and said the government must "stay true to Labour and social democratic values" and ease the cost of living for working people."
Labour leader pledged to face major challenges and restore hope by forging closer ties with the European Union, six years after the U.K. left the bloc. He said he would prove critics wrong and show the government is on the side of people tired of a failing status quo. He framed Labour as fighting for the nation’s soul and warned Britain would go down a dark path if Reform UK came to power. His position was described as precarious after local election losses and legislative defeats in Scotland and Wales. Lawmakers urged a leadership change, with some calling for resignation by September. Angela Rayner warned the party had a last chance to change and criticized a toxic culture of cronyism while urging action on cost of living.
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