Keir Starmer’s grip on power appeared to be slipping away on Monday as cabinet ministers urged him to set out a timetable for his departure and more than 70 Labour MPs publicly called for him to stand down.
The Guardian understands that four senior cabinet ministers – Shabana Mahmood, Yvette Cooper, John Healey and David Lammy – were among those who spoke to Starmer on Monday. Some told the prime minister he should oversee an orderly transition of power after crushing election defeats risked ringing the death knell on his premiership. Others discussed how they should take a “responsible, dignified, orderly” approach to what might follow.
Among those outside the cabinet publicly calling for Starmer to resign were close allies of Wes Streeting, who urged Starmer to set out a “swift” timetable. Supporters of Andy Burnham also published letters calling for the prime minister to go. Angela Rayner appeared to throw her weight behind Burnham, arguing that blocking him had been a mistake and he should be allowed to return to parliament.
In a speech earlier on Monday, Starmer said he would not resign and would prove his doubters wrong. “I take responsibility for not walking away, not plunging our country into chaos, as the Tories did time and again,” he said. “A Labour government would never be forgiven for inflicting that on our country again.”
