Sir Keir Starmer has told his Cabinet he “will not quit” despite mounting calls for his resignation, as The Independent reports live from Downing Street.
During a meeting of his top team on Tuesday morning, the prime minister urged ministers to back him amid what has been seen as the biggest crisis of his premiership. This comes after at least four members of his top team urged him to resign, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Minister Resigns and Calls for Orderly Transition
Junior minister Miatta Fahnbulleh resigned from the government on Tuesday morning, calling for Sir Keir to lay out a timetable for an “orderly transition”. She said: “It is clear that Keir must end this chaos and now set out a reasonable timetable for an orderly transition to a new leader.”
There is mounting speculation that Health Secretary Wes Streeting is planning to launch a coup. His camp is remaining silent, but Labour sources have told The Independent that Streeting is now expected to launch a leadership bid on Tuesday.
Defence Secretary Warns Against Instability
Defence Secretary John Healey warned “more instability is not in Britain’s interest” as he reiterated his support for the prime minister. He wrote on X: “People are worried about current conflicts and looming global crises. They expect their Government to lead the country through, as the PM is doing. More instability is not in Britain’s interest.”
Baroness Jenny Chapman, the international development minister, said Sir Keir’s authority was not challenged at the Cabinet meeting. She told reporters: “I saw a Cabinet united and focused on dealing with the issues that are confronting the British people.”
MPs Call for Resignation
More than 80 Labour MPs are now calling for a change of leadership. Suspended Labour MP Karl Turner branded the prime minister “not the person I believed him to be” and said the situation had become “untenable”. Former Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey also called for Sir Keir to set out a timetable for a new leader to be elected.
On Monday, Sir Keir vowed to fight on, saying his party would “be better and do better” and described Labour’s local election results as “tough”. The prime minister faces immense pressure to resign as the crisis deepens.
