Gordon Brown and Baroness Harman leave No10 after meeting with Keir Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that the “right thing to do is to rebuild” and has refused to walk away following a disastrous local election defeat.
The prime minister has turned to Labour veterans Gordon Brown, will serve as a special envoy on global finance, and former party leader Harriet Harman, who has been appointed as an adviser on women and girls, as he seeks to reset his premiership.
Sir Keir is under mounting pressure after a string of Labour MPs called for his resignation, blaming him losing hundreds of councillors in England and a major humiliation in Wales.
Labour haemorrhaged support in former strongholds while Reform UK made huge gains and Plaid Cymru became the largest party in the Senedd election.
Critics turning on Sir Keir include Louise Haigh, his former transport secretary. Andrea Egan, the general secretary of Unison, Britain’s largest union and one of Labour’s biggest financial backers, warned that the party faced “oblivion” unless Sir Keir stepped down, while Sharon Graham, the boss of Unite the Union, said he faced a choice to “change or die”.
But deputy leader Lucy Powell stuck by the prime minister, saying Labour must “listen” and “change” approach but that her party “does not do hostile takeovers”.
Sir Keir Starmer said on Friday he is “hurt” but is “not going to walk away”.
PM insists appointing veterans Brown and Harman is a ‘future-looking’ move
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted his decision to bring back Labour veterans Baroness Harriet Harman and Gordon Brown was a “future-looking” move.
Mr Brown has been appointed as a special envoy on global finance and Lady Harman has been made an adviser on women and girls.
The Prime Minister said: “I want women to have the opportunities that they deserve. I want to be able to tackle misogyny, I’ve made commitments on this and Harriet working with the team is the absolutely right person to do that.
“So, it’s very future-looking, because this is about making sure that every woman has the opportunities that she deserves. And so Harriet will lead on that work, working with the Cabinet, working with the team.
“For Gordon, obviously, one of the big challenges we face is global finance. The war in Iran is causing real problems, economic impact.
“We need more spending on defence and security, that needs to come together around international mechanisms, and Gordon’s got a track record on that, and so that is building the strong economy of the future.
“So, on both fronts, they are very future-looking roles. They are vital to how we strengthen our country and take it forward, and provide the opportunities that give people that hope for a better future.”
Amy-Clare Martin9 May 2026 13:10
Plaid Cymru will seek to form a minority government in Wales, leader says
Plaid Cymru will seek to form a minority government in Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth has said.
Speaking to reporters outside the Senedd, the Plaid leader said: “I have tried to make it as clear as I can throughout the course of the campaign, and prior to that, that I am somebody who always seeks to work within the spirit of co-operation.
“I made it clear that my desire, if we were able to, would be to form a minority Plaid Cymru government.”
He added that it is “clear now that we are in that position” and they will reach out to others on legislation-by-legislation issues.
Leader of Plaid Cymru Rhun ap Iorwerth (PA)
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 13:04
Donald Trump congratulates John Swinney after SNP defeat Labour in Scotland
Donald Trump has congratulated John Swinney on winning power once again following a crushing SNP defeat of Labour in Scotland.
John Swinney’s party took 58 seats, falling short of the 65 needed to win an overall majority, but are by far the largest party in Scottish parliament after Labour and Reform UK both emerged with just 17 seats.
The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou has this story:
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 13:00
Exclusive: Reform’s London mayor candidate criticises Farage’s ‘mass deportation’ election pitch
Speaking to The Independent, Laila Cunningham, Reform’s candidate for London mayor, was critical of the way that talk of “mass deportations” played into the hands of her party’s opponents in the capital.
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Amy-Clare Martin9 May 2026 12:50
Starmer vows he will ‘not walk away’ despite pressure from MPs
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he will “not walk away” and that the “right thing to do is rebuild” following a devastating set of local election results.
The prime minster says he will “set out the path ahead” as he seeks to reset his premiership, amid growing pressure from his own MPs to quit.
It follows Labour losing more than 1,400 seats as well as control of both the Senedd in Wales and 37 councils across England.
But speaking to broadcasters in south London this lunchtime, the PM said that while the results were “really tough” and he’s “not going to sugercoat that”, he is “not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos”.
“I think the right thing to do is to rebuild and show the path forward,” he insisted.
He added: “I think we have to set out the path ahead. And that’s what I intend to do in coming days. How we rebuild, how we convince people about hope for the future. And we haven’t done enough of that.
“So I will be setting that out with clarity about my convictions and my values – what drives me forward on this.”
He added that his government did “make a number of really important calls in the last couple of years”, touching on his handling of the economy, public services and the Iran war.
He added: “Of course, we face difficult circumstances…. but my job is to combine rising to those challenges with the hope and opportunity that gives people that real sense that things can get better and will.”
Amy-Clare Martin9 May 2026 12:41
Watch: Why the local election results spell disaster for Keir StarmerWhy the local election results spell disaster for Keir Starmer
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 12:35
In pictures: Starmer welcomes new advisors to Downing Street
Keir Starmer has announced former prime minister Gordon Brown will serve as a special envoy on global finance, while Baroness Harriet Harman has been appointed an adviser on women and girls.
Gordon Brown will advise on global finance (Lauren Hurley)
Starmer has appointed Baroness Harriet Harman as an adviser on women and girls (No 10)
Labour leaders and past and present meet in Downing Street (No 10)
Amy-Clare Martin9 May 2026 12:28
Scottish politics must not be distracted by independence vote, Davey says
The SNP should not allow Scottish politics to be “distracted” by another independence referendum after its election victory, the Liberal Democrats have said.
UK Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey made the comments after the election result means the Scottish Parliament now has its highest-ever number of MSPs who support independence, with 73 MSPs from the SNP and Scottish Greens returned.
While visiting Newhaven, Edinburgh, on Saturday Mr Davey said that despite the pro-independence numbers rising in Scotland, the SNP would have “no mandate” for another referendum.
He said: “(John Swinney) said if the SNP got a majority that would give him a mandate. They didn’t, they went backwards in vote share numbers of MSPs elected to the SNP.
“So, they’ve actually got no mandate for doing that and I really hope they won’t allow Scottish politics to be distracted by that.
“Yet again, there’s so many serious issues. People are really struggling and can’t get GP appointments, they can’t afford the food on the table, they can’t afford their energy bills.
“Surely a responsible government will ensure this new parliament focuses on things like matter to families and pensioners and businesses across Scotland.”
Mr Davey said the Lib Dems would oppose a referendum if it was granted by the Prime Minister as Sir Keir Starmer faces increasing pressure as he tries to remain in Downing Street in the wake of poor election results for Labour across the UK.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats saw their number of seats increase to 10 after the election.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton (left) joined by Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey (right) at Newhaven Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)
Amy-Clare Martin9 May 2026 12:10
Shabana Mahmood speaks out on ‘devastating night’ as Labour loses control of Birmingham City Council
Labour has lost control of Birmingham City Council after 14 years, prompting the Home Secretary to describe the outcome as “a devastating night in Birmingham and across the country”.
Counting for the remaining seats was halted on Friday night with no party securing an overall majority amid a fragmented five-party split.
The end of Labour’s long-standing leadership in the city followed significant gains by Reform, the Green Party, and a block of independent candidates.
Shabana Mahmood, the Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010, acknowledged the setback, stating that prime minister Sir Keir Starmer “has rightly said we must do better”.
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 12:00
Yet another Labour MP calls for Starmer to go
The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou writes:
A growing number of Labour MPs are joining the calls for Sir Keir Starmer to resign in the wake of this week’s disastrous election results.
The prime minister has vowed to stay and fight on despite dozens of members of his own party demanding he step down.
Labour MP for Bradford East Imran Hussain called the results “disastrous” and said hope for change has been “squandered by terrible political choices”.
He wrote on X: “It is clear Keir Starmer has fought his last election as Labour leader, and I think he will know that too. The party should now set out a timetable for an orderly transition to a new leader by the end of the year.”
However, he called for the party to restrain from “coups” or “Tory-style chaos”, amid speculation some could be preparing to launch leadership bids.
Nicole Wootton-Cane9 May 2026 11:50