A senior Cabinet minister has cautioned that Labour would be "consumed" by disorder if a leadership contest to remove Sir Keir Starmer were initiated, as the Prime Minister faces growing internal pressure following a series of dramatic political maneuvers by potential successors.
Pressure Mounts on Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer is under intense scrutiny from within his own party after several high-profile figures made moves that could challenge his leadership. On Thursday, Andy Burnham was presented with a route back to Parliament after a Labour MP resigned, triggering a by-election that the Greater Manchester Mayor hopes to contest. Meanwhile, Wes Streeting stepped down as health secretary but stopped short of an immediate leadership bid, instead advocating for a carefully selected field of candidates. Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner also revealed that she had been cleared by HMRC of any deliberate misconduct regarding her tax affairs, potentially paving the way for her own leadership ambitions.
Reed's Warning
Speaking on Friday morning, Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed warned colleagues against triggering a leadership contest, arguing that it would mirror the Conservative Party's recent turmoil. He pointed out that between 2016 and 2024, the Tories had nine education secretaries, seven chancellors, and five prime ministers, leading to their worst election result in two centuries. Reed acknowledged Labour's poor performance in last week's local elections but insisted that the party should not repeat the Conservatives' mistakes. "We're in power. We were sent here by the British public to deliver change," he said, citing achievements like the fastest-growing G7 economy and a significant drop in NHS waiting lists.
Economic and Political Fallout
The political instability has also affected financial markets, with long-term UK government borrowing costs rising. The yield on 30-year gilts surged to 5.774%, approaching 28-year highs. Meanwhile, Sir Keir spent Friday morning visiting a south London police station alongside London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley, ahead of a weekend of expected protests.
Andy Burnham expressed his desire to return to Westminster to "make politics work properly for people" after Josh Simons, the Labour MP for Makerfield, announced he would step down to allow Burnham to contest the seat. Sir Keir has indicated he will not block Burnham's candidacy, pending approval from the party's National Executive Committee.
Uncertainty Over Leadership Challenge
Despite mounting calls for his resignation after Labour's disastrous local election results, only Wes Streeting has resigned from the Cabinet so far. It remains unclear whether Streeting has the support of the 81 Labour MPs needed to trigger a formal challenge. While 89 MPs have publicly called for Sir Keir's resignation, they are not united behind a single candidate. Downing Street insists that Sir Keir will fight any attempt to oust him and would automatically be on the ballot if a contest occurs.
