Four Government aides have resigned and more than 60 backbench MPs have called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to quit following Labour’s heavy defeats in the local elections. The pressure intensified as a Health Minister suggested that members of the PM's Cabinet "may well" tell him to resign tomorrow.
Resignations and Calls for Leadership Change
Joe Morris, a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, was among the first to resign, urging Sir Keir to set out a "swift timetable" to step aside. Tom Rutland, PPS to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, stated that the Prime Minister had "lost authority" and "will not be able to regain it."
Naushabah Khan resigned from her position as PPS to the Cabinet Office, calling for "new leadership," while Melanie Ward resigned as PPS to Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, saying Sir Keir had "lost the confidence of the public."
Leadership Challenge and Backbench Pressure
Catherine West had previously announced she would challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership but withdrew threats of an imminent challenge ahead of the Prime Minister’s speech on Monday. However, she later wrote a letter urging him to step aside. A growing number of backbench MPs, including Richard Burgon, John McDonnell, and Sally Jameson (an aide to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood), have called for Sir Keir to resign as Prime Minister.
In full: Starmer latest: Home secretary urges PM to consider his position as Streeting leadership bid looms.
