Reuters: Starmer faces key meeting in Britain as calls grow for him to resign

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer consulted with colleagues on Tuesday about whether he could stay in the post, ahead of a key cabinet meeting, after aides resigned and nearly 80 MPs publicly called for him to leave, Reuters reports.

Starmer, who has been in the top job for less than two years, said on Monday that he would continue his mandate, after a large part of his parliamentary group turned against him following one of Labour's heaviest defeats in last Sunday's local elections.

British media reported that several cabinet ministers, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmud and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, told Starmer that he should set a date for his resignation.

Nearly 80 MPs, from different ideological wings of the party, have called on Starmer to set out the timetable for his departure, in order to trigger a leadership contest.

Senior minister Darren Jones told Times Radio on Tuesday that Starmer was listening to his colleagues and it was up to him to make the decision.

"He listens to his colleagues and talks to them. I can't prejudge any decision he might or might not make," Jones said.

Starmer, according to Reuters, tried to solidify his position on Monday when he promised in a speech to act more decisively and urgently to tackle Britain's many problems.

However, almost immediately, his lawmakers began publicly calling for him to resign or signal that he would leave, which raised borrowing costs.

Starmer said the country would never forgive the centre-left Labour Party if it launched a leadership fight, just two years after its large parliamentary majority was set to end the political chaos that has gripped the country since Britain voted to leave the European Union 10 years ago.

Starmer is Britain's fourth prime minister in five years. The move against him comes a day before King Charles is due to present the government's legislative programme in a lavish parliamentary ceremony on Wednesday.