With enough results from the council elections showing Labour is set for significant losses, Sir Keir Starmer's detractors are already writing his political obituary. The first counts had barely been completed when former shadow chancellor John McDonnell suggested the prime minister should prepare to step down.
Growing Calls for Change
Other Labour MPs quickly joined the 'Starmer Out' rallying cry. Labour's Baroness Hazarika compared Starmer's potential damage to the party to that of Joe Biden before Donald Trump's 2024 victory. According to one report, cabinet minister Ed Miliband has already told the prime minister to prepare to leave—with friends like that, who needs enemies?
It is hard to deny that Sir Keir's premiership appears numbered. However, no one has yet produced any evidence that a potential successor could do better in terms of policy or personality. It is time for them to detail how a replacement would improve Labour's fortunes.
Policy Dilemmas
Would sacking Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood for her tough immigration policies—as many left-wing MPs desire—help when polls show immigration is a major concern for all voters, not just the right? Would further watering down Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden's attempts to control soaring welfare costs be wise, given widespread benefits waste and abuse allegations fuel Nigel Farage's rise? Would giving more support to pro-Palestinian protests, akin to the Greens' charismatic but erratic leader Zack Polanski, undo Starmer's work removing the stain of antisemitism from the Corbyn years? It does not add up.
Personality and Statesmanship
As for character, does anyone seriously think Angela Rayner, Andy Burnham, Ed Miliband, or anyone else would be an improvement over Starmer in statesmanship or style? They have all failed to live up to expectations in their own careers—spectacularly so in some cases. Any successor would face the same problems in their Downing Street in-tray. Starmer may not set pulses racing, but he is decent and honest. On the biggest call—the Iran War—he stood up to Donald Trump with courage and quiet dignity.
Until Starmer's would-be successors produce convincing solutions instead of indulging in a petty blame game, Labour MPs plotting his downfall should be careful what they wish for.
