PM seeks to draw contrast with critics within his party and beyond

In a time of volatility, at home and abroad, why on earth would you want that in your politics as well? This was the essence of the Prime Minister's message in his BBC interview today.

Sir Keir Starmer has his back against the wall. He has had to deal with a spring of conflict, at home and abroad: America and Israel's war against Iran, which began at the end of February and the attack on two Jewish men in Golders Green in north London, on Wednesday.

Both are, of course, laden with consequences – for diplomacy, the military, the economy and society.

Starmer has been wrestling with all of this against the backdrop of the never ending Lord Mandelson saga and incessant chatter about his own future.

Just today, the Daily Telegraph is reporting on the health secretary Wes Streeting's manoeuversand The Guardian is reporting on the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham's.

In his interview with the Today Programme, the Prime Minister responded to events of the last few days and months, but also had another crack at setting out what he is all about.

"I want to live in a Britain that I love, which is a decent, tolerant, live and let live, diverse Britain. But that is contested now in a way that it hasn't been contested in my lifetime," he told Radio 4.

It is an argument he has made before, including in his party conference speech last autumn, but he was doing it here in the context of the attacks in Golders Green and in the context of his political predicament.

He was explicit in his criticism of Zack Polanski and the Green Party of England and Wales and implicit in his criticism of Reform UK.

Implicit too was the way he is addressing these profound challenges while some in his own party are sizing up trying to replace him.

On the headline from the interview, the Prime Minister's desire to place some limitations on protests and marches what comes next is the tricky business of trying to make that happen.

As Starmer acknowledged, it is balancing act that strikes at the heart of what freedom and democracy is all about – including the right to protest, while addressing the deep hurt, anger and fear the repeated protests cause for many in the Jewish community. Plenty of the Prime Minister's critics, in opposition parties and beyond, say they are tired of what they see as warm words and platitudes about antisemitism and want to see concrete action.