London Labour MPs piled pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to lay out a timetable for him to quit as Prime Minister as Andy Burnham was heading back to Parliament. Sir Keir spent the weekend considering whether to resign or try to fight on, with expectations that he could make a statement on his future possibly as soon as Monday. His position as PM looked increasingly untenable after Mr Burnham’s decisive victory in the Makerfield by-election.
MPs call for orderly transition
As MPs were returning to the Commons, Liam Conlon, who represents Beckenham and Penge in south east London, told The Standard: “I’m delighted Andy won in Makerfield, and so decisively. I hope the Prime Minister will set out a timetable for an orderly transition, and I will be backing Andy to lead our party and country.”
Brent North MP Barry Gardiner is also supporting Mr Burnham taking over in No10. “He's got the courage to do the things that London needs,” he told BBC London Politics, citing dealing with the Thames Water scandal and building more council homes. However, he stressed the importance of a contest so Mr Burnham could “present a case to people, and to get that support, and work out just how he is going to hone Government to be able to deliver the things he needs to do”.
Former shadow chancellor calls for reality check
Former shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington, said: “Let’s all get real. Keir Starmer’s support even in his own Cabinet has collapsed & he’d be humiliated in a leadership election.” He called for “the construction of an effective radical policy programme”.
Brent East MP Dawn Butler, chair of the group of London Labour MPs, believes there is "no point" in pretending that Sir Keir can remain Prime Minister.
Cabinet ministers urge departure
Business Secretary Peter Kyle, appearing on the Sunday politics shows, made clear that the PM had spent the weekend considering his position. He said Sir Keir, MP for Holborn and St Pancras, had been “reflecting on the political realities and challenges, and the opportunities, that lie before us”. Having talked to the PM, he said he was determined to put the country ahead of any personal interests.
Several Cabinet ministers are already reported to have urged Sir Keir to lay out a timetable for his departure, including Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. They are calling for an orderly transition which avoids plunging Labour into a deeper civil war.
Over 100 Labour MPs call for resignation
More than 100 Labour MPs have already gone public with calls for the PM to stand down. Donald Trump waded into the Labour turmoil, posting online on Sunday that “Keir Starmer will resign”, saying he “failed badly” on energy and immigration, and adding “I wish him well!”.
If Sir Keir decided he wanted to fight on, he faces a series of immediate obstacles this week including a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday evening, chairing Cabinet on Tuesday and then Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday. A timetable for his departure could involve him staying in No10 until Parliament rises for the summer recess on July 16, or possibly until it returns in early September.
Burnham’s momentum builds
Mr Burnham, though, is likely to want to have taken over in Downing Street in time for Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool at the end of September. He was expected to seek to speak to Sir Keir on Monday, with reports that he already has the backing of more than 200 MPs in his bid to be PM.
Ilford North MP Wes Streeting, who resigned as Health Secretary, has signalled that he would enter a Labour leadership contest. But he may come under pressure to stand aside if Mr Burnham gains further momentum in his march on No10. Mr Burnham won the Makerfield by-election with a 9,231 majority, gaining 54.8% of the votes cast and outperforming opinion polls.
