Starmer insists ‘majority’ of Labour MPs back his leadership

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Sir Keir Starmer emphasized that a majority of Labour MPs support his leadership and remain committed to his role as prime minister. This came after a week marked by growing discussions about potential internal challenges to his authority within the party.

Starmer acknowledged that political speculation is frequent, noting that such talk is routine. However, he stressed that the true sentiment of the Parliamentary Labour Party lies with those who are “loyal and just want to get on with the job.” He described these members as the “vast majority,” highlighting their satisfaction with the current leadership and their desire to focus on governance.

“When there’s a double red flag not to give clearance and [showing] high concern, then I’m sorry. I’m sorry. But I do not accept the argument that that is something which should not be told to the prime minister,” Sir Keir stated.

Recent scrutiny of Starmer’s decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to the United States has drawn criticism, particularly following concerns raised by UK security officials about granting him vetting clearance. Starmer explained that the officials had recommended against approval but that information was not relayed to him directly.

He defended his choice, noting that he had no regrets about removing Sir Olly Robbins, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office, who had failed to inform him of the security vetting issues. Robbins, meanwhile, revealed that he was only informed officials were “leaning against” Mandelson’s clearance, not that it should be denied outright. Robbins had approved the process with conditions in place.

Starmer dismissed suggestions he should have pursued more detailed inquiries into Mandelson’s vetting. “When I’m told there’s security clearance, should I go back and quiz officials and say, ‘Are you telling me the truth?'” he questioned. “If I questioned every bit of information put in front of me, I would never get anything done. The number of decisions to be made each day is huge.”

Looking ahead, the prime minister expressed a focus on the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, stating these issues are the most critical for the UK. “This is the urgent issue of our time,” he said. “It will reshape our country.”

“The conflict with Iran has not just been fought out in Iran. There are increasingly the use of proxies in this country,” Starmer added, underscoring the need to prioritize these global challenges over internal debates.