The Japan Times - Under-threat UK PM Starmer vows to prove 'doubters' wrong

Starmer pledged his ruling Labour party would do "better" as he tried to convince angry and restless lawmakers to back him in a crunch speech designed to reset his flagging premiership.

"I know that people are frustrated by the state of Britain, frustrated by politics, and some people frustrated with me," he said during an address in central London.

"I know I have my doubters, and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will," added Starmer, who returned Labour to power after 14 years of Conservative rule in 2024.

Starmer has swerved from one policy misstep to another since then, and is engulfed in a scandal over the appointment -- and sacking -- of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, after revelations about the envoy's ties to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The prime minister has failed to spur economic growth as British citizens continue to feel the effects of a years-long cost-of-living pinch, but has been praised for resisting US President Donald Trump over Iran.

Voters issued a damning indictment of Starmer's 22 months in power in local elections Thursday, which saw huge gains for the hard-right Reform UK party and left-wing populists the Greens at Labour's expense.

Starmer's party also saw decades of dominance in Wales come to an end and failed to make up ground on the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) in the devolved parliament in Edinburgh.

In his speech, Starmer acknowledged that "incremental change won't cut it" with an increasingly disgruntled public, promising "a bigger response" in areas such as economic growth, closer European ties and energy.

He pledged to introduce legislation to fully nationalise British Steel and said his government would be defined by putting Britain "at the heart of Europe", including through an "ambitious" youth experience scheme.

Starmer denounced Reform's anti-immigrant leader Nigel Farage a "chancer" and a "grifter", adding: "If we don't get this right our country will go down a very dark path."

He also said he would "block far-right agitators" from travelling to Britain for a march this Saturday.

Starmer has signalled that he hopes to stay in power until 2034, but several Labour lawmakers have made it clear they believe it is time for him to go.

- Last chance? -

Former junior minister Catherine West announced that she would wait to hear his speech before deciding whether to try to kickstart a leadership contest that could open the door to others.

Such a move would likely spark a damaging bout of infighting as MPs from the left and right of the party battled to position their preferred candidate or shore up Starmer.

Under party rules, any challenger would need the support of 81 Labour MPs -- 20 percent of the party in parliament -- to trigger a contest.

UK media is awash with rumours that former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner or Health Minister Wes Streeting could try to oust Starmer, but neither is universally popular within Labour

Rayner on Sunday stopped short of calling for Starmer to quit, but said the current strategy "isn't working and it needs to change".

"This may be our last chance... The prime minister must now meet the moment and set out the change our country needs," she wrote on X.

Another much-touted possible contender, Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is currently unable to challenge as he does not have a seat in parliament.

The absence of an obvious successor means Starmer could still hold on, particularly with the next general election not expected until 2029.

There has also been reluctance in the party to replace him after the Conservatives went through three prime ministers in four months in 2022.

In Wales, Labour lost control of the devolved government for the first time since the parliament in Cardiff was established 27 years ago.

In England, it lost nearly 1,500 local council seats while Reform UK surged from less than 100 to over 1,400 seats under Farage.

M.Yamazaki--JT