United Kingdom: Starmer rules out resignation after 'tough' local election results boost Reform UK

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Friday that he has no intention of leaving office despite the dismal results obtained by the Labor Party in England's local elections.

"I'm not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos," he declared flatly. "The results are hard, very hard, and I'm not going to make them up. This hurts, and it must hurt. I take full responsibility," he added.

Double blow to Starmer: Labour swept in Wales and local elections

Labour lost control of the Welsh Parliament on Friday for the first time since the institution was created in 1999. The left-wing nationalist Plaid Cymru party emerged as the winner of the autonomous elections, putting an end to 26 years of Labour governments in the region.

This defeat in Wales comes on top of the significant loss of support suffered by the British Labor Party in the local elections held on the same day, aggravating the crisis of Keir Starmer's government.

The Labour Party suffered a major defeat, losing nearly 460 councillors in 73 of the 136 local councils where the results had already been released.

Farage celebrates "change" in British politics

The right-wing party Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, made a dramatic breakthrough by winning 641 seats and taking control of three councils: Suffolk and Essex in the east of England, and Newcastle-under-Lyme in the center of the country.

Farage celebrated the results with evident satisfaction. "We are witnessing an historic change in British politics," he assured, convinced that his party "has come to stay."

On the other hand, the Conservatives, led by Kemi Badenoch, lost hundreds of councilors, but managed to retain control of Westminster City Hall, in the center of London.

The next few months will be decisive to know if Starmer succeeds in stabilizing his leadership or if the internal pressure ends up being unsustainable.