Labour MPs demand Starmer resignation timetable after catastrophic local election losses
Approximately 40 Labour MPs have called for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to quit or set an exit date following the party's defeat of 1,500 councillors and 40 councils to Reform UK and the Greens.
The political stability of the Starmer government is under immediate threat following a disastrous set of local election results. Approximately 40 Labour MPs have publicly called for the Prime Minister to resign or, at the very least, provide a specific timetable for his departure. This collective demand marks a significant shift in the parliamentary landscape, with the party's chances of retaining leadership of No 10 appearing to diminish rapidly.
The electoral defeat saw the Labour party lose 1,500 councillors and about 40 councils to Reform UK and the Greens. This loss has prompted severe internal divisions, with factions emerging to support different potential successors. While Wes Streeting has not formally challenged the Prime Minister, his allies state he is preparing a leadership bid should the current premiership collapse this week. Streeting's supporters point to his retention of the Redbridge council as evidence of his fighting spirit.
Backbencher Catherine West has declared she will challenge Starmer for the leadership on Monday if he fails to set out a resignation schedule. Her move is contingent on the Prime Minister not providing an exit timetable. However, this challenge is not without complication; backers of Andy Burnham have attempted to persuade West to withdraw her bid, arguing that an imminent contest would not leave him sufficient time to enter parliament.
Despite the mounting pressure, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defended Starmer on Sunday. She argued that MPs would be wrong to remove him, even though voters had given the party a "real kicking" at the ballot box and many felt "bitterly let down". Phillipson suggested the party had been "too gloomy" and cited a mistake in trying to withdraw the winter fuel allowance as a contributing factor to the public's dissatisfaction.
The cabinet remains largely silent on the crisis, with ministers including Shabana Mahmood, Lisa Nandy, and Pat McFadden offering no comment on the loss of councillors. A Labour cabinet source indicated that while there is residual loyalty to Keir, ministers are at the end of their tether. The source rejected the idea of a long-term timetable for Starmer's exit, stating that delaying action would send the party backwards and waste precious time.
Former Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons has joined the call for an orderly transition, stating Starmer had "lost the country" and was incapable of rising to the moment. In a separate development, Starmer recently gave an interview to the Observer expressing a desire to serve two terms or 10 years, while simultaneously appointing Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman as advisers to refresh his government.