Scottish Labour MPs have issued a stark warning to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, indicating they could spearhead a move to remove him from leadership before next May. The rebellion stems from a deep-seated fear that the party faces being 'slaughtered' in the upcoming Scottish Parliament elections.
Mounting Fears of Electoral Disaster
The Prime Minister has been formally put on notice of a potential leadership challenge after being confronted with the stark reality that he is considered 'very unpopular' among voters in Scotland. This crisis follows a significant slump in support for both Sir Keir and the Labour Party in Scotland since their triumph in last year's general election, where they secured 37 seats north of the border.
This dramatic decline has left Labour MPs representing Scottish constituencies in a state of alarm. They now fear the party could finish far behind the SNP at the Scottish Parliament elections scheduled for 7 May. Some have even voiced concerns about the prospect of Labour finishing in a humiliating third place, trailing behind both the SNP and Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
The Mechanics of a Challenge and a Damaging Budget Row
Under current Labour Party rules, any challenger to the Prime Minister would require the backing of 81 MPs - 20 per cent of the parliamentary party - to trigger a formal leadership election. While allies of Sir Keir have recently stated he would contest any challenge, his position has been further weakened by the furious political row that erupted following last week's Budget.
One Scottish Labour MP told The Times: 'The situation is untenable. The question for those of us with elections next May is 'is there time for a change', or do we wait to be slaughtered? My preference is before May.' Another added: 'My concern is not that Anas [Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader] can't do that. It's Keir that's very unpopular on the doorstep.'
Polling Points to a Stark Reality
The scale of the challenge is underscored by recent polling. Tracking by Ballot Box Scotland clearly shows Labour's support for the Holyrood elections has collapsed since the general election. A recent YouGov survey revealed that SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney is the most popular party leader in Scotland, with 32% of Scots viewing him favourably.
In a devastating comparison, 72% of Scots hold an unfavourable view of Sir Keir, with only 19% viewing him positively. This gives the Prime Minister a net favourability rating of -53%, which is even lower than that of Nigel Farage (-47%). Some opinion polls now suggest Scottish Labour could fall behind Reform UK when voters cast their ballots next May.
A third MP summarised the desperate mood: 'We have everything to gain and little to lose by getting rid of Keir. With elections round the corner, we should be in contention for first place in the polls. Instead we're at risk of finishing in a far behind second, or staying stuck in third place.' This represents a dramatic reversal from post-general election optimism, which had anticipated a serious Labour challenge to the SNP's dominance at Holyrood. Now, John Swinney is widely expected to lead the SNP to a historic fifth term in office.
Separately, Sir Keir on Monday was forced to defend Chancellor Rachel Reeves against claims she misled the public over the state of the finances before unveiling a Budget containing £30 billion in tax rises, insisting there was 'no misleading'.
