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Keir Starmer insists he “won’t walk away” from being PM. via Associated Press<\/p>\n
Keir Starmer has said he wants to lead Labour in the next general election, despite mounting calls for him to quit.<\/p>\n
The prime minister once again insisted he was \u201cnot going to walk away\u201d from Downing Street as he issued a fresh challenge to his rivals.<\/p>\n
More than 90 Labour MPs have publicly called on the PM to resign, while the party\u2019s trade union backers have said he will not be leader come the next election, in the wake of the disastrous elections on May 7.<\/p>\n
Wes Streeting quit as health secretary with a furious attack on his time in office as is expected to mount a leadership challenge within weeks.<\/p>\n
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is hoping to win the upcoming Makerfield by-election so he can also mount a bid for the top job.<\/p>\n
But speaking on Monday, Starmer insisted his premiership was not over.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI do want to fight the next election. Obviously, I recognise that after the local election results, the elections in Wales and Scotland as well, that the first task is obviously turning things around and making sure that my focus is in the right place.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last 10 days, there\u2019s been a lot of activity, which hasn\u2019t been as focused in my view as it should have been, and I remind myself every day that I was elected to office to serve the people, to serve the country, that\u2019s what I believe in, and that\u2019s what I\u2019ll be getting on with.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said he would not \u201cwalk away\u201d and would not set out a timetable to stand down if Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election.<\/p>\n
Starmer also denied that his time in office was \u201cover\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cNo, we\u2019ve got a lot of work to do, and I was addressing Labour Party staff, actually this morning, reminding them that we were elected into office by millions of people to bring about change in this country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s our responsibility. My responsibility is to serve people who voted us into office, serve my country, to remind people that we have achieved already in terms of stabilising the economy, investing in the NHS, so that waiting lists are coming down.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll those things make a material difference to people\u2019s lives, but there\u2019s a lot more to do, and obviously after the local election results, the results in Scotland and Wales, we need to show we can turn things around, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m very focused on what I consider to be my responsibility, my duty, and that is to the country.\u201d<\/p>\n