Keir Starmer must make changes in wake of crushing election defeat, ex-deputy leader warns

In the United Kingdom, on 9 May 2026, Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced pressure after Labour's election defeat. Sky News reports that his former deputy leader warned he must make changes in the wake of the crushing defeat. Starmer made former PM Gordon Brown an envoy and brought in Harriet Harman as he sought a leadership reset, and The Guardian writes this was meant to ease pressure on him to resign. Starmer said the 'right thing to do is to rebuild'.

Reuters reports that Starmer, weakened by the local elections, was challenged by a former minister, and an Australian-born UK MP said 'I will begin a leadership election'. Bloomberg writes that Starmer's rivals plot a slow-motion takeover, and BBC World reports that Labour MPs put him on notice. Czech and German outlets report that Starmer does not want to resign and wants to keep his course.