Starmer pledges to bring Britain closer to the EU as he fights calls for his ouster

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will argue in a speech on Monday that he will address major challenges and restore national hope, including by positioning Britain at the center of Europe. His office stated he will focus on ‘putting Britain at the heart of Europe,’ a decade after Brexit, though he has ruled out rejoining the EU or its customs union. Starmer’s leadership is under severe strain following Labour’s devastating losses in last week’s local elections across England and legislative votes in Scotland and Wales. Dozens of lawmakers have demanded his resignation, with former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner accusing his government of fostering a ‘toxic culture of cronyism’ and failing to ease the cost of living crisis. Labour’s losses reflect deep public dissatisfaction with economic stagnation, strained public services, and repeated policy reversals, including welfare reforms. Starmer’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a figure linked to Jeffrey Epstein, further damaged his credibility. The party was squeezed from both right and left, losing votes to Reform UK and the Green Party, signaling political fragmentation. Starmer aims to regain momentum with legislative plans announced by King Charles III during the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday, including closer EU ties like a youth mobility deal. Despite Labour’s pro-EU stance during the 2016 referendum, Starmer has avoided reopening Brexit debates, instead easing trade restrictions to benefit British businesses.