UK PM Keir Starmer faces a make-or-break day with new resignations and mounting calls from ministers and MPs to step down after disastrous local election results.
LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (pic) gathered his top team for crunch talks Tuesday as he suffered new resignations and calls mounted from ministers and MPs for him to step down.
Here’s what we know as Starmer tries to convince his cabinet to back him in what is the most crucial day of his almost two-year-old premiership.
– What’s the latest? –
More than 70 of Labour’s 403 members of parliament have now called for Starmer to quit immediately, or to set out a timetable for his resignation. Miatta Fahnbulleh on Tuesday became the first junior minister to quit over Starmer’s case.
His vow Monday to fight on and prove his doubters wrong did little to stem moves to oust him. Starmer told a cabinet meeting on Tuesday no leadership challenge has been “triggered” and that “the country expects us to get on with governing”, his office said.
Interior minister Shabana Mahmood late Monday became the most senior government figure to advise Starmer to consider his position, UK media reported.
Newspapers reported that other senior ministers, including deputy prime minister David Lammy and Yvette Cooper had spoken to Starmer about his position.
– How did we get here? –
Pressure on Starmer has been soaring since Labour suffered disastrous local election results last week, losing hundreds of councillors to the hard-right Reform UK party and left-wing populist Greens.
Labour also lost its century-old dominance in Wales and were hammered by the Scottish National Party in the devolved parliament in Edinburgh.
The results added to a miserable few months for Starmer who has been engulfed in scandal over his decision to appoint — and then sack — Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.
Mandelson was a former friend of US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Starmer earlier this year fended off calls to quit over his decision to appoint him.
Starmer has also failed to spur promised economic growth to help British citizens suffering with the cost of living.
– Doubters –
On Monday, Starmer vowed to prove his doubters wrong, pledging Labour would be “better” and bolder to assuage disgruntled voters impatient for change.
But dozens of Labour MPS later urged him to step down, including four government aides who resigned their positions.
Joe Morris, who was a parliamentary private secretary to Health Secretary Wes Streeting — widely rumoured to be considering a leadership challenge — wrote on X that it was “now clear that the prime minister no longer has the trust or confidence of the public to lead this change”.
On Tuesday, Fahnbulleh, junior minister for communities, told Starmer to “do the right thing for the country and the party and set a timetable for an orderly transition”.
– What could happen next? –
Starmer’s cabinet is reportedly split on whether the prime minister should continue.
If he can convince most ministers to support him then he could survive another day with a reshuffle.
However, if they overwhelmingly tell him the game is up then he may be forced to announce that he will step down.
Some of those calling for him to go want him to make way so a new leader could be in place by September.
Alternatively, he could throw down the gauntlet for a prospective challenger to try to oust him. Starmer has vowed to contest any challenge.
– How would a leadership contest work? –
Under party rules, any challenger would need the support of 81 Labour MPs — 20% of the party in parliament — to trigger a leadership contest.
It would likely spark damaging infighting, with MPs from the left and right of the party battling to position their preferred candidate or shore up Starmer.
– Who could succeed? –
It has long been rumoured that Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner could try to oust Starmer.
But neither is universally popular within Labour.
Another much-touted contender, Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is unable to stand as he does not have a seat in parliament.
