UK premier says he takes responsibility for 'not walking away' following election defeat

The British prime minister on Monday said he takes responsibility for "not walking away" and "not plunging our country into chaos" over last week's what he called "very tough" election results.

"The election results last week were tough, very tough. We lost some brilliant labor representatives; that hurts, and it should hurt. I get it, I feel it, and I take responsibility," Keir Starmer said during an event in London.

He noted that he is not going to shy away from the fact that he has got "some doubters, including in my own party," adding that he has to prove them wrong, and he will.

"I take responsibility for navigating us through a world that is more dangerous than at any time in my life, and I take responsibility for not walking away, not plunging our country into chaos."

During his speech, Starmer vowed to rebuild the relationship with Europe by "putting Britain at the heart of Europe."

He also noted that Brexit made Britain "poorer" and "weaker" while migration "went through the roof."

The Labour Party has suffered a historic defeat in the Welsh Senedd, and the Scottish National Party has held onto power for an unprecedented fifth time in the Scottish Parliament at last week's elections across Scotland, Wales and 136 English local authorities, which were the biggest set of polls since the 2024 general election.

The Reform UK party has picked up more than 1,450 council seats, continuing the party's success after its breakthrough in town halls last year.