Prime Minister Keir Starmer stared down mounting resignation demands on Monday night, telling Labour MPs he has “won every fight I’ve ever been in” and will not walk away from the job he fought so hard to win.
In a packed Parliamentary Labour Party meeting, the Prime Minister issued his strongest defiance yet after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar became the most senior figure to publicly call for him to step down.
Starmer Delivers Defiant Message to Restless MPs
Flanked by his entire Cabinet, Sir Keir addressed a tense room in Westminster and made clear he has no intention of quitting.
“After having fought so hard for the chance to change our country, I’m not prepared to walk away from my mandate and my responsibility to my country, or to plunge us into chaos as others have done,” he told MPs.
The Prime Minister pointed to his record as Director of Public Prosecution, where he overhauled the Crown Prosecution Service to better support victims of violence against women and girls, and his transformation of the Labour Party from unelectable opposition to election-winning force.
“I have won every fight I’ve ever been in,” he said, to applause from many in the room.
Sources described the atmosphere as “electric” with some MPs visibly emotional as Starmer spoke with raw determination about his refusal to abandon the 2024 mandate.
Sarwar’s Intervention Shocks Labour Ranks
Anas Sarwar’s weekend intervention sent shockwaves through the party.
The Scottish Labour leader, who led his party to its best Westminster result in over a decade last July, told journalists on Sunday that “fresh leadership” was now needed at UK level after a series of damaging controversies and plunging poll ratings.
His comments came just 24 hours after a disastrous set of local council by-election results that saw Labour lose ground in traditional heartlands.
Senior Scottish sources say Sarwar had reached breaking point after months of defending controversial UK government decisions north of the border, particularly winter fuel payment cuts that hit Scottish pensioners hard and the handling of the grooming gangs scandal.
Polls Paint Bleak Picture for Labour
The political reality facing Starmer is brutal.
Recent surveys show Labour’s lead has evaporated entirely:
- YouGov (Feb 6-7): Conservatives 28%, Labour 25%, Reform 21%
- More in Common (Feb 5-7): Conservatives 29%, Labour 24%
- Techne (Feb 5-6): Conservatives 30%, Labour 23%
Starmer’s personal approval ratings have collapsed to minus 42 in some polls, worse than any previous Labour prime minister at this stage.
One Red Wall MP told journalists after Monday’s meeting: “We’re looking at wipeout in the local elections in May unless something changes dramatically.”
Mixed Reaction Inside the PLP
While many MPs applauded Starmer’s fighting speech, others left the room looking grim.
Several backbenchers expressed private frustration that the Prime Minister appeared more focused on proving his personal resilience than addressing the root causes of public anger.
One 2024 intake MP said: “We admire his grit, but people back home aren’t asking about fights he’s won in the past. They’re asking why their energy bills are still sky high and why pensioners are losing winter fuel payments.”
Cabinet ministers rallied round after the meeting, with Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting all pictured leaving together in a visible show of unity.
The Battle Ahead
Starmer now faces the toughest weeks of his premiership.
Rebels are openly discussing letters to the 1922 Committee equivalent, though Labour’s rules make removing a sitting leader who won a general election less than two years ago extremely difficult.
The Prime Minister has staked everything on turning round both public opinion and his party’s fortunes through a major policy reset expected in the spring.
Those close to him say he is drawing inspiration from past leaders who faced early crises, Gordon Brown’s fightback after the financial crisis, Harold Wilson’s multiple comebacks, and believes the British public will ultimately reward a government that sticks to difficult decisions.
As one ally put it: “Keir has never walked away from anything in his life. He’s not starting now.”
The Labour Party that swept to power with such hope just 19 months ago now faces its moment of greatest peril. Whether Starmer’s defiance proves to be the spark that reignites his government, or the last stand of a leader who stayed too long, will define British politics for years to come.
What do you think, should Keir Starmer stay or go? Drop your thoughts below.
