Cabinet ministers have warned mutinous Labour MPs that any attempt to oust Keir Starmer after potentially disastrous local election results could unleash chaos within the party. Several ministers told the Guardian that while the prime minister is determined to stay in Downing Street, the mood on the backbenches is febrile and events could spiral out of control.
Labour is expected to lose more than 1,500 council seats across England, struggle for second place in Scotland, and face the prospect of losing Wales after a century of dominance. This has left thousands of angry local politicians who blame the government's unpopularity for their losses.
Before heading to their constituencies, MPs were gripped by speculation over Starmer's future, with Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting, and Andy Burnham seen as likely successors. Some have argued that Starmer should set out a timetable for his departure, and a group of cabinet ministers might tell him his time is up if results are as bad as predicted.
However, the appetite inside the cabinet for a leadership contest is severely limited. One minister said: 'We have a role to play and we'll certainly not want chaos.' Another indicated there is no group planning to move collectively, while a third stated: 'I don't want new leaders, plots, pacts... Will there be cabinet resignations or a move against Keir? There could be, but I won't be part of it.'
A fourth minister noted that only Starmer will decide when he stands down, adding: 'He's in no mood to be pushed around by colleagues.' Several ministers warned of unintended consequences, with one saying: 'Those of us who are sane don't really want a leadership contest... but we recognise that when the mood is febrile things can kick off.'
Downing Street has made clear that Starmer would fight any attempt to oust him, with allies warning that any challenge would cause instability, particularly amid conflict and economic headwinds. Writing in the Observer, Starmer urged the party to 'rise to this moment' rather than sink into 'the politics of grievance and division.'
