British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday dismissed the idea that he has lost power in his role, and said he would fight to keep his job, adding that whoever wants to replace him will face the same financial constraints.
The comments come a day after Defense Minister John Healey dealt a new blow to the already weakened leadership of the prime minister by resigning and accusing Starmer of failing to implement the resources needed to keep the country safe, in mining the power the prime minister has over his ministers.
“I’m not leaving,” Starmer told the BBC, making his first public comments since Healey’s shock resignation.
With rivals expected to launch a competition to replace him in the coming weeks or months, Starmer said he would fight any challenge to his role.
“Let me be clear to you, that’s not about personal vanity, it’s not about stubbornness, it’s out of a deep sense of duty. I was chosen to serve this country, no matter the circumstances. That’s what I’m doing,” he said.
Starmer rejected Healey’s criticism, saying defense and security were and will remain his top priorities so the government should always make spending decisions in the future.
