Sir Keir Starmer squared up to any Labour leadership challenger but admitted he had to “turn things around” to stay Prime Minister.
He also slapped down John Healey who on Thursday resigned as Defence Secretary over military spending, with the PM suggesting he was proposing “easy answers” rather than the “trade-offs” needed in Government.
Asked if he would lead Labour into the next general election, Holborn and St Pancras MP Sir Keir told the BBC: “Well, that's what I want to do. I recognize that I've got to turn things around. We had a very bad set of elections.”
Keir Starmer defends "hard-edged decisions" on defence spending and tells BBC it is his duty to carry on as UK prime ministerhttps://t.co/mMblVD90Bs
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) June 12, 2026
Pressed whether he was admitting to the threat to his leadership, Sir Keir added: “I’ve always been clear that that's what I want to do, but look, I recognize that given where we are, I need to turn that around, and that's what I intend to do.”
He highlighted “record drops” in NHS waiting lists, that the economy had been “stabilised” with stronger growth predictions despite the latest grim GDP figures, and more homes are being built.
He also made clear he would fight any leadership contest rather than step aside.
“I’m not going to walk away,” he said, stressing he wanted to stay PM out of a “deep sense of duty” to deliver on the mandate from the 2024 general election.
“I don’t think we should plunge the country into the chaos of a leadership election.”
Mr Healey quit as Defence Secretary launching a withering attack over not increasing the military budget by more than is being proposed by No10 and the Treasury.
But Sir Keir said: “I would just gently say this, that whoever is Prime Minister is going to face the same prevailing winds and for every answer that is being suggested the question has to be when you are in Government, which is about trade-offs, what is it then that you would not do.
“Easy answers are by their nature easy decision.
“Government involves trade-offs, so they always have to come with that second question. Well, if you're going to do that, what is it you wouldn't do?”
He stressed that all other Government departments had contributed to a boost in defence spending.
But the Prime Minister was told by Al Carns, who also resigned as Armed Forces Minister, that he needs to take “bold and courageous” decisions to properly fund the UK’s defence.
Mr Carns said the defence investment plan (Dip) did not have enough money behind it and was not “transformational” in the way it responds to the challenges of modern warfare as shown by the Ukraine conflict, where drones have become a key factor on the battlefield.
The highly decorated Royal Marines officer who traded his military career for Westminster insisted Sir Keir should stay in place to “steady the ship” but did not rule out a future leadership bid.
The timing of the resignations of Mr Healey and Mr Carns comes at a moment of peril for Sir Keir whose premiership has looked precarious since May’s election results across England, Wales and Scotland which were disastrous for Labour.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham hopes to return to Westminster in next week’s Makerfield by-election and has made no secret of his leadership ambitions, while former Health Secretary Wes Streeting may also run in any contest.
Ilford North MP Mr Streeting unleashed stinging criticism of the PM when he recently quit as Health Secretary.
In his resignation letter on Thursday, Mr Healey said the Prime Minister had been “unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling” to provide adequate funding for the Dip.
Military chiefs have called for around £28 billion over four years, while a figure of around £18 billion had been sought by officials in Whitehall.
But the Dip promised just £13.5 billion, of which only £10 billion was extra cash, with defence sources claiming the other £3.5 billion was “Treasury trickery”, likely from expected efficiency savings or cuts.
New Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis, who went to No 10 for talks with the Prime Minister on Friday morning, now has the challenge of salvaging a Dip which was savaged by his predecessor.
Former Parachute Regiment officer Mr Jarvis said it was a “privilege to serve” as he arrived in Downing Street.
