Keir Starmer is refusing to quit after dire results for Labour at the polls, saying:

I’m not going to walk away . . . and plunge the country into chaos.

Ah yes, Starmer, the man who spent years branding Jeremy Corbyn unelectable, promising competence, and telling voters that Labour had changed, has just led the party to one of its worst electoral defeats in history. You created the chaos, Starmer.

“I’m not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reflects on “really tough” results from the local elections in England, with Labour losing hundreds of council seats.

Latest https://t.co/SZHhkmXZUF

Sky 501 pic.twitter.com/LJVKBhKnVJ

— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 8, 2026

He continued:

People are still frustrated. Their lives aren’t changing fast enough. We haven’t offered enough hope or optimism for the future.

I was elected to change this country – tough days like this don’t weaken my determination to do that. They strengthen it.

Labour is on course to suffer one of its worst-ever electoral defeats, having lost control of long-held heartland areas like Hartlepool, Redditch, Tamworth, and Tameside.

The Financial Times has predicted that Labour is on track to lose between 1,500 and 1,800 councillors in the run-up to these elections.

John McDonnell, Labour MP, told LBC, reflecting on Labour’s election wipeout, that Labour’s organisational grassroots structure was gone:

Membership has dropped by at least a half. The people who were going out and working on the ground are no longer there.

Lammy, Healy in Keir’s corner

The Guardian reported that David Lammy, Starmer’s Labour Together friend, both of whom are linked to Mandelson, is urging patience. Lammy is currently the deputy PM:

You don’t change the pilot during a flight. You carry on and you recognise too that governments sometimes, particularly incumbent governments, have it hard, but of course we will reflect on what we’re hearing from the electorate. There’s a lot of frustration.

Defence Secretary John Healey is also on Starmer’s side so far, praising Starmer’s pledge to increase defence spending as the hallmark of his leadership this morning to Sky News. He also said that he was part of Blair’s team, which lost 1,100 council seats in 1999 but went on to win the next two General Elections, so there is still hope for Labour! Whatever you say, John.

Healey and Lammy are both supporters of Sir Keir’s genocide in Gaza.

However, other voices were asking him to go. Dave Watts, a former Labour MP, has written a whole opinion piece for the Huffington Post saying that Andy Burnham should replace Starmer.

Jonathan Brash, Labour MP, told the Guardian:

I think the very best thing the prime minister could do now is address the nation tomorrow and set out a timetable for his departure.

Ed Miliband has also reportedly privately urged Starmer to consider setting out a timeline for his resignation according to The Times:

UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband privately urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to consider setting out a timeline for his resignation, amid concerns that losses in the local election will force him out of office, The Times newspaper reported https://t.co/pQXc3E5gx4

— Bloomberg (@business) May 7, 2026

Unions are also beginning to call for Starmer to go. ITV’s Paul Brand posted on X, saying that unions were calling for Starmer to leave.

Union rumblings begin. TSSA Union calls for a change of Labour leader.

— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) May 8, 2026

Starmer may have received a “stay of execution this weekend”, according to Sky News‘ Beth Rigby, but Starmer will face much louder calls to leave as the local election results are picked over.

Starmer is hanging on, but with MPs, unions, and even Miliband whispering for him to go, the chaos he says he’s preventing might already be here.

Featured image via the Canary

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