The Prime Minister has insisted he will fight the next election as part of Labour’s “decade of national renewal” after facing questions about his future.
Sir Keir Starmer is currently facing a brewing Labour rebellion over his Government’s plans to cut welfare, and the rising threat of Reform UK’s popularity in the polls.
Questioned about his future plans during a visit to Albania, the Prime Minister initially did not address whether he would fight the next election, and only said he was focused on his task to “rebuild our country”.
It was only after he was later asked to clarify his position that Sir Keir said: “Of course I am going to stand at the next election.
“I’ve always said this is a decade of national renewal that I intend to lead.
“They were part of what we were arguing for at the last election and of course we’ve got a lot more work to do but we’re making huge progress.”
Speaking to GB News, the Prime Minister was earlier asked if he planned to fight the next election.
He replied: “You are getting way ahead of me.
“I am absolutely clear that my task is to rebuild our country, boost the security that we need. We are getting on with that.”
The Prime Minister pointed to trade deals with India and the US, the latest economic growth figures, and falling NHS waiting lists among some of his Government’s achievements in office so far.
“There’s a long way to go yet,” he added.
The Prime Minister is currently facing the threat of a major rebellion by backbench MPs over plans to cut benefits.
Under the Government’s plans, proposed in a Green Paper in March, the eligibility criteria for the personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability benefit in England, would be tightened.
Restricting Pip would cut benefits for around 800,000 people, while the sickness-related element of universal credit is also set to be cut.
Some 100 Labour MPs – more than a quarter of the party’s parliamentary numbers – are reported to have signed a letter urging ministers to scale back welfare cuts under consideration, according to the Times.
The private letter to Labour’s chief whip is separate from a similar one last week, in which 42 MPs said the cuts were “impossible to support”.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who was questioned about the unrest in her party during a visit to Rolls-Royce in Derby, insisted the Government was taking action to address cost-of-living pressures.
She said: “I recognise that the cost-of-living crisis does continue for many people, but last month we were able to increase the basic state pension and the new state pension, the new state pension went up by £470, significantly higher than if it was just linked to inflation, putting more money in pensioners’ pockets.
“But I do understand that we need to bring energy bills down, that’s why we are investing in our energy security, building homegrown energy here in Britain to get those bills down for working people and also for pensioners.”
Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Treasury minister Emma Reynolds remained resolute that the Government would not be changing course despite the threat of widespread rebellion.
Asked if ministers would stick to their plans, she told the programme: “The Government has set out our plans, and we will continue to discuss them with backbenchers.
“Government is always about those discussions with colleagues in our party. We have a large majority, of course, and we need to ensure that we continue to discuss what are very sensitive issues with colleagues.”
