LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer has admitted his party has "lost the trust of the working people" after they lost the Hartlepool by-election.
Speaking this afternoon Mr Starmer vowed to do "whatever is necessary to fix" the failure among working class people he claims is to blame for the Conservatives taking the constituency for the first time in its history.
He said he was "bitterly disappointed" and said: "I take full responsibility for the results – and I will take full responsibility for fixing this.
“We have changed as a party but we haven’t set out a strong enough case to the country.
“Very often we have been talking to ourselves instead of to the country and we have lost the trust of working people, particularly in places like Hartlepool.
“I intend to do whatever is necessary to fix that."
The leader has come under fire from all sides since the result was declared overnight, with several high profile figures including Lord Adonis calling for him to step down.
However Mr Starmer said he was the right person to lead Labour, and will make a plan to "reconnect" with voters.
He said: "I will set out what change is needed over the next few days, but I’m absolutely clear in my mind and absolutely determined to do whatever is necessary to fix things and to make sure we can make that case to the country in a compelling way.
He went on: “I will set out what we need to do to reconnect the Labour Party to the voters that have cast their verdict on us last night, particularly in places like Hartlepool.”
Several Labour grandees this morning sought to blame Jeremy Corbyn for the poor result, with Peter Mandelson, the former MP for the area, saying he was still casting a "dark cloud" over the party.
However MPs John McDonnell and Diane Abbott, allies of Mr Corbyn, denied it was related to the former leader and urged Keir Starmer to change tack.
Ms Abbott said on social media it was "not possible to blame Jeremy Corbyn for this result".
She added: "Labour won the seat twice under his leadership. Keir Starmer must think again about his strategy."
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