Many Labour MPs believe Keir Starmer will not survive as leader until the next election, but there is disagreement on how his departure might happen. The party rulebook makes it notoriously difficult to unseat a leader, with no formal ejection in the postwar period, though some, like Tony Blair, resigned under pressure.
One route is a leadership challenge. Backbencher Catherine West, MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet and a former junior Foreign Office minister, announced on Saturday she would challenge Starmer unless a cabinet minister steps forward by Monday morning. This could force a vote among MPs and party members.
Another method is internal pressure. MPs can publicly or privately urge Starmer to resign, as seen with previous leaders. If enough senior figures call for his departure, he may step down to avoid a damaging contest, especially after poor election results.
