UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – British PM Sir Keir Starmer says he will remain in office next year and warns Labour rivals that leadership challenges could benefit Reform’s Nigel Farage.
As reported by Caitlin Doherty and Jemma Crew of the BBC, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has warned colleagues that challenging his leadership could hand Reform UK’s Nigel Farage an advantage in the next election amid speculation about his future.
What did Keir Starmer say about his leadership and the May elections?
In his first interview of 2026 with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Sir Keir Starmer said he plans to remain prime minister next year, despite projections of heavy Labour losses in May elections across the UK.
Speaking in an interview aimed at closing the chapter on a difficult 2025, the Prime Minister warned that repeated leadership changes could harm the national interest, amid speculation that senior figures, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, might challenge him.
He said,
“Under the last government, we saw constant chopping and changing of leadership, of teams, it caused utter chaos, utter chaos, and it’s amongst the reasons that the Tories were booted out so effectively at the last election.”
Sir Keir stated,
“ Nobody wants to go back to that. It’s not in our national interest. We know from that evidence what happens if you go down that chaotic path, and I’m not going to take us back to that kind of chaos.”
He added,
“I will be sitting in this seat by 2027 and if this long-form interview works, we can try it again in January of next year as well.”
The Prime Minister told the BBC he was elected with a five-year mandate to implement changes in the country and intends to deliver on it.
“I was given a five-year mandate to change this country around and I said we’d do it in a serious way with long-term measures that would actually benefit the country. I will be judged, and I know I’ll be judged, when we get to the next election, on whether I’ve delivered on the key things that matter most to people,”
Sir Keir added.
He continued,
“I intend to lead us into that fight. What I don’t think will help us is if a Labour government turns back to the chaos of the last Tory government. That would gift Nigel Farage (the election).”
Addressing Nigel Farage’s brand of populism, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said diversity is “the essence of Britishness” but warned it could face challenges in the upcoming election.
The Labour leader warned that “renewal is not an overnight job” and added that
“the challenges we face were decades in the making.”
He told the nation,
“In 2026, the choices we’ve made will mean more people will begin to feel positive change in your bills, your communities and your health service.”
In his September interview with Ms Kuenssberg, Sir Keir said he needed room to act, adding,
“We have the fight of our lives ahead of us, because we must take on Reform and defeat them.”
How did Keir Starmer react to the backlash over Alaa Abd El Fattah’s post?
During a BBC interview, the prime minister was questioned about a social media post welcoming Alaa Abd El Fattah to the UK, which he has since said he regrets.
On Boxing Day, Sir Keir Starmer said he was “delighted” the British-Egyptian activist was in Britain and had been reunited with his family following his release from an Egyptian prison.
The Labour leader came under criticism after earlier social media activity emerged in which Abd El Fattah appeared to call for the killing of Zionists and police officers.
Describing the remarks as “abhorrent”, Sir Keir said he was unaware of the posts at the time.
The Prime Minister added,
“Of course I regret that, and your point that somebody in government should have known is one I have made myself to the appropriate team, because I do think I should have been made aware and I wasn’t made aware.”
What did Starmer say about the UK moving closer to the EU single market?
Sir Keir Starmer said closer ties with the European Union are in the UK’s national interest, adding that the government has already made important progress.
He stated,
“Relations between the UK and the EU are in the best position they’ve been for ten years and that has meant we’ve already taken steps… on food and agriculture to align with the single market, that’s the sovereign decision that we have taken.”
The Prime Minister added,
“I think we should get closer and if it’s in our national interest, in our interest, to have even closer alignment with the single market, then we should consider that, we should go that far.”
The Labour leader ruled out revisiting freedom of movement when asked about closer EU ties, but added that ministers are considering a youth mobility scheme allowing young people to live and work between the UK and the EU.
What did Keir Starmer say about Ukraine security guarantees and peace in 2026?
When asked about the prospects for peace in 2026, Sir Keir Starmer said he “certainly hopes so.”
He added that nothing is guaranteed but believes Zelensky is “right in saying we’re 90% of the way there,” calling it “a good thing.”
The Prime Minister said,
“I think that we’re probably closer now than we’ve been for months if not since the beginning of this conflict.”
Uncertainty persists about the security guarantees available to Ukraine, the PM noted.
“I think we’re much further advanced on that issue than ever before,”
he said.
He said upcoming talks will focus on
“integrating what the Americans propose with what the coalition of willing nations has already contributed.”
The Labour leader added,
“Without being over-optimistic, because these things can move around, 2026 seems to me the year in which we could make significant progress towards peace in Ukraine and what a difference that will make to the United Kingdom.”
Sir Keir highlighted the need for strong security guarantees, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has ambition.”
He added,
“Without firm guarantees, any pause may last months or years, but he will return to his efforts.”
How did Keir Starmer react to US strikes in Venezuela?
On Saturday, 3 January, US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during military strikes.
Sir Keir Starmer described the situation as “fast-moving” and confirmed that the UK was not involved.
When asked whether he would condemn the US action, the prime minister said the full picture was not yet available.
He described himself as a “lifelong advocate” of international law.
Later on Saturday, he posted on social media that the UK
“regarded Maduro as an illegitimate president and we shed no tears about the end of his regime.”
Sir Keir spoke about his relationship with President Trump, noting that they come from “different political traditions.”
He called the UK-US partnership “one of the closest relationships in the world” and essential for defence and security.
The Labour leader continued,
“It is my responsibility to make sure that relationship works.”
He said,
“I do get on with President Trump. Now, that’s a strange alliance in a way, as he often points out, we’re from different political traditions, by a long shot.”
Sir Keir acknowledged that he and President Trump “do have differences of views,” but said the UK-US relationship “probably matters more than any other in the world.”
How many seats could each party win in the next election?
According to YouGov’s recent survey, Reform UK is projected to emerge as the largest party in a hung parliament, winning 311 seats, just 15 short of an overall majority, primarily at the expense of Labour.
Labour is projected to fall to 144 seats, the Conservatives to 45, while the Liberal Democrats would hold 78 seats, with minor changes for the SNP, Greens, and Plaid Cymru.