British Prime Minister Keir Starmer struck a combative tone on Monday, saying he has no intention of resigning after heavy local election defeats. Speaking in London, he acknowledged the pain of the results but pledged to fix the party's fortunes.

"The election results last week were tough. Very tough. It hurts, and it should hurt. I get it. I feel it. And I take responsibility," Starmer said. He also stressed his duty to explain how the government plans to improve.

Labour lost over 1,400 council seats in England and suffered major setbacks in Welsh and Scottish parliamentary elections. In Wales, the party's vote share plummeted from 36.2% to 11.1%, dropping to third place behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK.

Starmer criticized populist rivals Reform UK and the Greens. "We're battling Reform and the Greens. But on a deeper level, we're battling the despair they exploit," he said, accusing them of lacking serious leadership.

The prime minister evoked his working-class roots, citing his brother's job instability and sister's low-paid care work. He vowed to govern under the motto "strength through fairness."

Starmer also referenced economic shocks, including the war in Iran, and called for a "complete break" from a status quo that has failed working people. He outlined plans for nationalizing British Steel, closer EU ties, and youth employment.

Source: www.dw.com