Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that he will resign following a mounting revolt inside the Labour Party after devastating local election losses, the resignation of government ministers and growing pressure from senior members of his own cabinet.Starmer said he would step down as prime minister and Labour leader after concluding he could no longer unite the party, but is expected to remain in office until a successor is chosen.The resignation follows weeks of turmoil inside Britain’s ruling party after Labour lost roughly 1,500 council seats and control of more than 25 councils in local elections last month, according to reporting from U.K.outlets.
The losses were fueled by major gains from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in Labour’s traditional strongholds and by Green Party advances in urban areas.FARAGE'S REFORM UK BEATS OUT ESTABLISHMENT PARTIES IN 'EARTHQUAKE' ELECTIONSBritain’s PM Starmer speaks during a press conference, in London.(Thomas Krych/Pool via REUTERS)Starmer’s domestic troubles deepened after a damaging dispute with President Donald Trump over the Iran conflict earlier this year.
The British prime minister initially resisted U.S.requests to use British bases during military operations against Iran, prompting Trump to criticize him publicly, saying: "This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with," on March 3.But after initially drawing a hard line, Starmer later approved limited defensive cooperation with the U.S., angering anti-war lawmakers inside his own party while still failing to satisfy critics who accused him of indecision and weak leadership.Public frustration over the episode surfaced in YouGov focus groups and polling commentary, where voters described Starmer as "weak," "indecisive" and overly reactive to Washington.AS EPSTEIN-LINKED APPOINTMENT SPARKS BACKLASH, UK PM STARMER FACES PARTY REVOLT AMID RESIGNATION CALLSNigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, celebrates the victory of Sarah ...