Sir Keir Starmer insisted he would not resign, as he delivered a make-or-break speech following Labour's election thrashing. He issued a defiant response to demands from some Labour MPs for him to stand down, and to rumours that colleagues are plotting a leadership contest that could see him thrown out of No 10.

He made it clear he would not quit, saying: "I take responsibility for not walking away, not plunging our country into chaos, as the Tories did time and again, the chaos that did lasting damage to this country. A Labour Government would never be forgiven for inflicting that on our country again."

But he admitted some voters felt his time as Prime Minister had not been a success so far. He said he knew there were "some people frustrated with me".

Sir Keir said: "I know I have my doubters. And I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will."

He insisted he was getting better, saying: "Like every Prime Minister, I’ve learnt a lot in the first two years in the job".

Sir Keir was delivering a speech in central London after Labour lost more than half the council seats it was defending in English local elections, and lost control of Wales in devolved elections there. In a shift to the left, he said the Government would take full national ownership of British Steel.

Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would “be better and do better”.

He said local election results were “very tough” and “I take responsibility” for them.

“But it’s not just about taking responsibility for the results,” he added.

“It’s about taking responsibility to explain how, as a political and electoral force, we will be better and do better in the months and years ahead.

“Because we are not just facing dangerous times, but dangerous opponents, very dangerous opponents.

“This hurts, not just because Labour has done badly, but because if we don’t get this right, our country will go down a very dark path.”

“So just as I take responsibility for the results, I also take responsibility for delivering the change that we promised for a stronger and fairer Britain that we must build; I take responsibility for navigating us through a world that is more dangerous than at any time in my life.”