Overview
- Keir Starmer said he will still be in office this time next year and reiterated that he was elected in 2024 with a five-year mandate to deliver change.
- He argued that the Conservative era of rapid leadership turnover caused “utter chaos” and said such instability is not in the national interest.
- Labour trails Reform UK in polls and Starmer’s ratings are low, with local, Scottish and Welsh elections on May 7 set to serve as an early test that he says is not a referendum on his leadership.
- Media reports continue to float possible challengers including Wes Streeting, Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner and Shabana Mahmood, though some have denied plans to run.
- He highlighted cost-of-living measures such as freezing rail fares, capping bus fares, extending a fuel duty cut and raising the national living wage, and signaled no let-up in that agenda.