Pressure mounts on Starmer to resign as British PM
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.2K Ratings
🗓️ 12 May 2026
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
More than 70 MPs from Britain's governing Labour party have publicly called on the prime minister Keir Starmer to stand down, following disastrous local elections results. Several senior ministers have urged him to set a timetable for his departure. Earlier Keir Starmer insisted he would not quit, and would fight any leadership challenge.
Also: Iran says it is ready to respond to any aggression, after President Trump dismissed its latest peace proposals and said the ceasefire was on "life support". Researchers are warning that increased ship traffic off South Africa, due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, is causing dangers for whales. Our correspondent returns home to Khartoum, which was battered during Sudan's civil war. The last remaining passengers are evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship, as the crew sets course for the Netherlands where it will dock for disinfection. We look at how AI centres are causing a shortage of memory chips, pushing up prices of tech products. The hugely popular online puzzle Wordle is being turned into a TV game show. And we're at the Cannes Film Festival with the inside track on movies to look out for this year.
The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.6 | You're listening to the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:11.8 | Hello, I'm Oliver Conway. We're recording this in the early hours of Tuesday, the 12th of May. |
| 0:17.1 | The British Prime Minister Kirstama is under mounting pressure to resign. Iran says it's ready to respond to any aggression after President Trump said the ceasefire was on life support. |
| 0:28.4 | And scientists say Wales are in danger because of an increase in ships off South Africa, triggered by conflicts in the Middle East. |
| 0:37.3 | Also in this podcast... |
| 0:39.3 | It was dangerous to go to the market, even for one kilo of fries. |
| 0:42.6 | You can be arrested, killed, raped, harassed, beaten, humiliated. |
| 0:46.7 | So people would rather starve, not go out. |
| 0:49.1 | How life is slowly returning to Sudan's capital Khartoum |
| 0:53.4 | after the city was battered in the civil war. |
| 1:00.6 | It's been a difficult few days for the British Prime Minister Kirstama, |
| 1:04.6 | and it could be about to get worse. |
| 1:07.0 | After a damaging set of results from local elections last week, |
| 1:10.8 | dozens of MPs in his Labour Party, including a number from his cabinet, |
| 1:15.4 | publicly called on him to resign or set out a timetable for his departure. |
| 1:20.0 | One of them, Jonathan Hinder, told the BBC that the Prime Minister's speech on Monday, |
| 1:25.0 | which was seen as a last ditch attempt to save his premiership, |
| 1:28.3 | had been tone deaf. |
| 1:30.2 | It's time to be real. |
| 1:31.3 | He's going. |
| 1:32.2 | No doubt about it. |
... |
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