Starmer's make or break speech: Will it save him?
The News Agents
Global
4.1 • 5.4K Ratings
🗓️ 11 May 2026
⏱️ 53 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
It's always risky when a Prime Minister's speech becomes billed as a 'reset' and 'make or break' but Keir Starmer's address this morning was exactly that.
Facing a surprise possible leadership challenge from backbencher Catherine West - and a growing number of MPS in open mutiny - Starmer insisted he would prove his doubters wrong, face any contest head on, and keep Britain from ushering in "dangerous opponents".
It didn't seem to win too many of his parliamentary colleagues round - indeed as soon as he'd finished the drip drip of MPs demanding he set a timetable for his departure continued. But has it been enough to stop serious contenders - like Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner - from coming forward? Or are they just waiting for the right moment?
Later, Emily and Lewis speak to London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan about where Labour goes now.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Newsagents podcast is brought to you by HSBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity. |
| 0:09.6 | This is a global player original podcast. |
| 0:12.9 | As soon as you're in to make or break, speech territory, it's always break. |
| 0:16.5 | That hurts. |
| 0:17.5 | In the speech is a start. |
| 0:19.5 | I think people don't want words. |
| 0:21.6 | They want evidence of action. |
| 0:23.6 | If he wanted a square fight, you know, go and choose a reform seat. |
| 0:26.6 | I think you're going to be a bit careful, changing leader. |
| 0:29.6 | You can't fatten the pig on market, though. |
| 0:31.6 | If Wes has the numbers, he will go for it today. |
| 0:33.6 | The election results last week were tough, very tough. We lost some brilliant |
| 0:41.8 | Labour representatives. That hurts and it should hurt. I get it. I feel it. And I take responsibility. But does he? Does he get it? Does he feel it? And does he |
| 1:00.2 | really take responsibility? More importantly, can he convince his party and the country that he does? |
| 1:06.8 | This was billed as a make or break moment for the Keir Stama premiership. |
| 1:12.0 | But no sooner had he sat down that more Labour MPs were calling for him to go. |
| 1:18.0 | Is it already all over for Kea Stama? |
| 1:21.4 | Welcome to the newsagents. |
| 1:28.9 | The Newsagents It's Maitless |
| 1:31.7 | It's Lewis and the Prime Minister waited the weekend |
| 1:34.9 | to give a vision to his MPs |
| 1:38.8 | of how he intended to respond to that shalacking that we saw last week, where in so many places across |
... |
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