ByAFP
May 13, 2026
As head of state, King Charles III reads out his government's legislative programme - Copyright POOL/AFP Kirsty Wigglesworth
Peter Hutchison
King Charles III will on Wednesday outline UK leader Keir Starmer’s next legislative plans, during a pomp-filled ceremony that could have huge repercussions for the embattled prime minister’s future.
Starmer, fighting to face down a revolt within his ruling Labour party, has promised his government will be “better” and bolder to assuage disgruntled voters impatient for change.
That pledge will be put to the test in Wednesday’s short address in parliament which Downing Street said will unveil an “ambitious programme” that will make Britain a “stronger, fairer” country.
It is the latest crunch moment in Starmer’s 22-month premiership and comes after Labour descended into open warfare on Tuesday over the prime minister’s future following the party’s heavy defeats in local and regional elections.
Four junior ministers resigned and the number of MPs urging Starmer to quit passed 80, but more than 100 others signed a statement urging colleagues to back him.
Several senior ministers also rallied around the Labour premier after Starmer vowed to fight on, telling them that no one had come forward to kick-start a leadership challenge.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy urged lawmakers to “step back and take a breath”, while a spokesman for interior minister Shabana Mahmood denied rumours that she was resigning.
– ‘Pivotal moment’ –
“Britain stands at a pivotal moment,” Starmer, who in July 2024 became the UK’s sixth prime minister in eight years, said in comments late Tuesday ahead of the King’s Speech.
“To press ahead with a plan to build a stronger, fairer country or turn back to the chaos and instability of the past.”
Despite its name, the King’s Speech is not written by the monarch but by the government, which uses it to detail the laws it proposes to make over the next 12 months.
Downing Street said the address will include a package of more than 35 bills “to bolster economic, energy, (and) national security.
They will include proposals to fully nationalise British Steel and deepen Britain’s relationship with the European Union.
King Charles will deliver the proposals from a golden throne in the House of Lords upper chamber while wearing the diamond-studded Imperial State Crown and a long crimson robe.
The day’s proceedings start when royal bodyguards ritually search the basement of the Palace of Westminster for explosives — a legacy of the failed attempt by Catholics to blow up parliament in the 1605 Gunpowder plot.
– Black Rod –
The sovereign will then travel to the Houses of Parliament by carriage from Buckingham Palace, escorted by mounted cavalry.
Tradition dictates that an MP is ceremonially held “hostage” in the palace to ensure the king’s safe return.
A parliamentary official known as Black Rod will have the door of the lower chamber House of Commons slammed in their face, a tradition that symbolises parliament’s independence from the monarchy.
MPs will follow Black Rod to the upper chamber, where Charles, as head of state, will give the speech to assembled lords and ladies in red and ermine robes, plus invited members of the elected Commons at around 11:30 am (1030 GMT).
Starmer is also due Wednesday morning to meet Health Secretary Wes Streeting, purported to be one of his main rivals for the premiership.
Streeting is popular on the right of Labour, while a would-be challenger on the left in any contest could be former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.
Another much-touted contender, Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester in northwest England, is unable to stand currently as he is not an MP, but supporters want Starmer to lay out a timetable for his departure that allows Burnham to return to parliament and stand.
Under party rules, any challenger would need the support of 81 Labour MPs — 20 percent of the party in parliament — to trigger a leadership contest. Starmer has vowed to fight any challenge.
UK PM Starmer defiant as quit calls grow
ByAFP
May 12, 2026
Keir Starmer has been UK prime minister since July 2024
ByAFP
May 12, 2026
Keir Starmer has been UK prime minister since July 2024
- Copyright POOL/AFP Jack Taylor
Peter Hutchison
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his top team Tuesday that he was getting on with governing, defying mounting calls from ministers and MPs to step down.
The Labour premier also dared any leadership hopefuls to challenge him after Miatta Fahnbulleh become the first junior minister to resign, demanding that he plan his departure.
“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered,” Starmer told ministers during crunch talks over his future.
“The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet,” he added, on what has become the most crucial day yet of his almost two-year-old premiership.
– ‘Do the right thing’ –
More than 70 of Labour’s 403 members of parliament have now called for Starmer to quit immediately, or to set out a timetable for his resignation.
Starmer’s vow Monday to fight on and prove his doubters wrong did little to calm clamour for his removal.
Fahnbulleh on Tuesday became the first junior minister to do so, calling on Starmer “to do the right thing for the country and the party and set a timetable for an orderly transition”.
Interior minister Shabana Mahmood late Monday became the most senior government figure to advise Starmer to consider his position, UK media reported.
Newspapers reported that other senior ministers, including deputy prime minister David Lammy and Yvette Cooper had spoken to Starmer about his position.
– Growing pressure –
Pressure on Starmer has been soaring since Labour suffered disastrous local election results last week, losing hundreds of councillors to the hard-right Reform UK party and left-wing populist Greens.
Labour also lost its century-old dominance in Wales and were hammered by the Scottish National Party in the devolved parliament in Edinburgh.
The results added to a miserable few months for Starmer who has been engulfed in scandal over his decision to appoint — and then sack — Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.
Mandelson was a former friend of US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and Starmer earlier this year fended off calls to quit over his decision to appoint him.
Starmer has also failed to spur promised economic growth to help British citizens suffering with the cost of living.
– Doubters –
On Monday, Starmer pledged that Labour would be “better” and bolder to assuage disgruntled voters impatient for change.
But dozens of Labour MPS later urged him to step down, including four government aides who resigned their positions.
Joe Morris, who was a parliamentary private secretary to Health Secretary Wes Streeting — widely rumoured to be considering a leadership challenge — wrote on X that it was “now clear that the prime minister no longer has the trust or confidence of the public to lead this change”.
– ‘Steadfast’ –
Several cabinet ministers backed Starmer after the meeting.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said he had her “full support” while Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said Starmer was “showing really steadfast leadership”.
Housing minister Steve Reed also noted that a leadership challenge had not been triggered, “so we all intend to get on with our jobs”.
Under party rules, any challenger would need the support of 81 Labour MPs — 20 percent of the party in parliament — to trigger a leadership contest.
Starmer has vowed to contest any challenge.
A contest would likely spark damaging infighting, with MPs from the left and right of the party battling to position their preferred candidate or shore up Starmer.
– Who could succeed? –
It has long been rumoured that Streeting and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner could try to oust Starmer.
But neither is universally popular within Labour.
Another much-touted contender, Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is unable to stand as he does not have a seat in parliament.
Some of his supporters want Starmer to set a date for his departure that allows their man time to become an MP first.
Peter Hutchison
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his top team Tuesday that he was getting on with governing, defying mounting calls from ministers and MPs to step down.
The Labour premier also dared any leadership hopefuls to challenge him after Miatta Fahnbulleh become the first junior minister to resign, demanding that he plan his departure.
“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered,” Starmer told ministers during crunch talks over his future.
“The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet,” he added, on what has become the most crucial day yet of his almost two-year-old premiership.
– ‘Do the right thing’ –
More than 70 of Labour’s 403 members of parliament have now called for Starmer to quit immediately, or to set out a timetable for his resignation.
Starmer’s vow Monday to fight on and prove his doubters wrong did little to calm clamour for his removal.
Fahnbulleh on Tuesday became the first junior minister to do so, calling on Starmer “to do the right thing for the country and the party and set a timetable for an orderly transition”.
Interior minister Shabana Mahmood late Monday became the most senior government figure to advise Starmer to consider his position, UK media reported.
Newspapers reported that other senior ministers, including deputy prime minister David Lammy and Yvette Cooper had spoken to Starmer about his position.
– Growing pressure –
Pressure on Starmer has been soaring since Labour suffered disastrous local election results last week, losing hundreds of councillors to the hard-right Reform UK party and left-wing populist Greens.
Labour also lost its century-old dominance in Wales and were hammered by the Scottish National Party in the devolved parliament in Edinburgh.
The results added to a miserable few months for Starmer who has been engulfed in scandal over his decision to appoint — and then sack — Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.
Mandelson was a former friend of US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and Starmer earlier this year fended off calls to quit over his decision to appoint him.
Starmer has also failed to spur promised economic growth to help British citizens suffering with the cost of living.
– Doubters –
On Monday, Starmer pledged that Labour would be “better” and bolder to assuage disgruntled voters impatient for change.
But dozens of Labour MPS later urged him to step down, including four government aides who resigned their positions.
Joe Morris, who was a parliamentary private secretary to Health Secretary Wes Streeting — widely rumoured to be considering a leadership challenge — wrote on X that it was “now clear that the prime minister no longer has the trust or confidence of the public to lead this change”.
– ‘Steadfast’ –
Several cabinet ministers backed Starmer after the meeting.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said he had her “full support” while Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said Starmer was “showing really steadfast leadership”.
Housing minister Steve Reed also noted that a leadership challenge had not been triggered, “so we all intend to get on with our jobs”.
Under party rules, any challenger would need the support of 81 Labour MPs — 20 percent of the party in parliament — to trigger a leadership contest.
Starmer has vowed to contest any challenge.
A contest would likely spark damaging infighting, with MPs from the left and right of the party battling to position their preferred candidate or shore up Starmer.
– Who could succeed? –
It has long been rumoured that Streeting and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner could try to oust Starmer.
But neither is universally popular within Labour.
Another much-touted contender, Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is unable to stand as he does not have a seat in parliament.
Some of his supporters want Starmer to set a date for his departure that allows their man time to become an MP first.
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