Keir Starmer's leadership is under severe threat as senior cabinet ministers have urged him to set out a timetable for his departure, with over 70 Labour MPs publicly calling for him to stand down. The prime minister warned that the country would 'never forgive' Labour for plunging into a leadership election, but his grip on power appears to be slipping.
The Guardian understands that four senior cabinet ministers—Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Defence Secretary John Healey, and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy—spoke to Starmer on Monday. Some told him to oversee an orderly transition of power after crushing election defeats, while others discussed taking a 'responsible, dignified, orderly' approach. However, several others, including Richard Hermer and Steve Reed, urged him to fight on.
One cabinet minister said: 'In the end Keir has listened to cabinet ministers – there are differences about where this will go and what is in the best interests of party and country. He’ll have to make a decision about what he’s going to do before cabinet tomorrow.' Chief whip Jonathan Reynolds spent the day in Downing Street conveying the mood among backbenchers.
Among those publicly calling for Starmer to resign were close allies of Wes Streeting, who urged a 'swift' timetable, and supporters of Andy Burnham. Angela Rayner appeared to back Burnham, arguing that blocking him from a by-election had been a mistake. Starmer survived an immediate threat after Catherine West changed course and said she was gathering names of MPs who supported an orderly transition instead.
More than 70 MPs, representing 25% of the party's backbenchers, said Starmer had failed to convince them he could lead the country into the next election. In a speech earlier on Monday, Starmer said he would not resign and would fight any leadership challenge, stating: 'I take responsibility for not walking away, not plunging our country into chaos.'
