Keir Starmer has told Labour MPs he is 'not prepared to walk away' from his mandate as prime minister, following calls for him to resign over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US.
Speaking during a meeting of the parliamentary Labour party (PLP), Starmer said he had "won every fight I've ever been in" and was determined not to give up on his government despite growing criticism. He acknowledged that he had made mistakes, including appointing Mandelson without properly vetting him for ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Starmer also praised the dedication of his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who resigned yesterday over the controversy surrounding Mandelson's appointment. However, Starmer did not say whether he would take disciplinary action against Mandelson or if he would remain in his role.
The Prime Minister received a standing ovation during the PLP meeting, with many Labour MPs showing their support for him and criticizing those who called for his resignation. Some Labour MPs expressed frustration that some of their colleagues had been critical of Starmer's leadership, saying they had "sort themselves out" or risked plunging the country into chaos.
Starmer also urged Labour MPs to unite in the fight against Reform UK, a party led by Nigel Farage, which is seen as a rival to Labour. He described the battle with Reform as the "fight of our times", saying that if they did not stand up for themselves and their values, they would be divided and torn apart.
The Prime Minister's address was well-received by many in the room, but some critics pointed out that he had been under pressure from within his own party to step down. Others suggested that Starmer had failed to deliver on key promises, including an end to austerity measures.
Despite these criticisms, Starmer remains committed to leading Labour forward and has vowed to carry on fighting for his government's policies and values. His determination not to give up on his mandate has been welcomed by many in the party, but others are still divided over whether he should continue as leader or if it's time for a change.
Overall, Starmer's speech marked an attempt to rally support behind him and restore unity within Labour ahead of the Scottish elections in May.
Speaking during a meeting of the parliamentary Labour party (PLP), Starmer said he had "won every fight I've ever been in" and was determined not to give up on his government despite growing criticism. He acknowledged that he had made mistakes, including appointing Mandelson without properly vetting him for ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Starmer also praised the dedication of his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who resigned yesterday over the controversy surrounding Mandelson's appointment. However, Starmer did not say whether he would take disciplinary action against Mandelson or if he would remain in his role.
The Prime Minister received a standing ovation during the PLP meeting, with many Labour MPs showing their support for him and criticizing those who called for his resignation. Some Labour MPs expressed frustration that some of their colleagues had been critical of Starmer's leadership, saying they had "sort themselves out" or risked plunging the country into chaos.
Starmer also urged Labour MPs to unite in the fight against Reform UK, a party led by Nigel Farage, which is seen as a rival to Labour. He described the battle with Reform as the "fight of our times", saying that if they did not stand up for themselves and their values, they would be divided and torn apart.
The Prime Minister's address was well-received by many in the room, but some critics pointed out that he had been under pressure from within his own party to step down. Others suggested that Starmer had failed to deliver on key promises, including an end to austerity measures.
Despite these criticisms, Starmer remains committed to leading Labour forward and has vowed to carry on fighting for his government's policies and values. His determination not to give up on his mandate has been welcomed by many in the party, but others are still divided over whether he should continue as leader or if it's time for a change.
Overall, Starmer's speech marked an attempt to rally support behind him and restore unity within Labour ahead of the Scottish elections in May.
, honestly thought he'd bail by now given all the controversy surrounding mandelson's appointment. But i guess you can't write off a guy who's won every fight he's been in, right? 
still think labour needs to do better on austerity measures tho, and starmer's not exactly being clear about how he plans to tackle it. what's his plan B if the party implodes? 
. Some of the criticism coming from within the party isn't entirely unfounded. We need to see some tangible progress on policy and a clear plan for how we're gonna tackle Reform UK 
.
. I'm still watching this situation closely and hoping that Labour can get its act together 
.
. Like, he knows he's got a lot of critics on his own party, but he's still determined to see it through and prove them wrong. I mean, who wouldn't want to take on Reform UK and Nigel Farage, right? 
But seriously, Starmer's got some serious guts for sticking with it despite all the drama.
. Maybe Starmer will take some steps to clean house and get some new blood in there.
. Not everyone is going to be on board with his leadership style, and if thats not acknowledged now, it could lead to even more divisions down the line.
going into battle with one hand tied behind his back 
. Appointing Mandelson was a huge mistake and now everyone's talking about it 
he can't just sweep this under the rug 
and expect everything to go back to normal 
. We need more transparency and accountability from him and his team 
. The party needs unity, not a bunch of MPs talking trash about each other 
a big ol' storm brewing in Labour, but I think they can weather the storm together 
if Starmer is willing to listen and work with his team 
. Otherwise, it's gonna be a long ride 
!
, can't just ignore all those Epstein ties 
. And btw, his speech was pretty cool 
, he spoke from the heart and showed us what he's made of 
, we need to see some real progress on those austerity measures 
before I fully trust him. Still, I think he's got this 
, his determination is inspiring 
.
. Starmer's right tho, they gotta stand up for themselves and their values 
. Wish 'im luck 
starmer's still clinging to his seat as pm despite all the controversy surrounding mandelson's appointment... maybe it's time for a change? 
It feels like the party's all about Starmer vs everyone else. Does anyone think he should step down or can he turn it around? 
). The thing that worries me a bit is how the party's handling this whole situation. Some of these MPs are being super harsh on Starmer, but I think they should just chill out for a sec. We all have bad days 
) and we'll be golden.
, but some people think he's out of touch 
. It's clear he's not getting any younger and his leadership is getting called into question. I mean, come on, appointing Peter Mandelson without checking his Epstein ties? That's just basic research skills 
. It's not about the issues or the policies; it's about them feeling threatened and in control.
.
anyone think it's time for a new leader tho? idk, maybe some of us just expect more from our pm 