Reed urges Labour unity behind Starmer despite admitting PM’s unpopularity
Cabinet minister stresses that no MP holds the 81 signatures required for a challenge, urging ministers to focus on policy delivery over internal politics following poor local election results.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed has publicly urged the Labour Party to maintain unity behind Prime Minister Keir Starmer, despite conceding that the leader is currently unpopular. Speaking to Sky News, Reed contextualised the low approval ratings by noting that each of the last four UK prime ministers had faced similar scrutiny, arguing that public anger regarding public services and the economy naturally focuses on the head of government.
Reed warned against triggering a leadership contest, citing the political instability and frequent leadership changes within the Conservative Party between 2016 and 2024 as a cautionary tale. He highlighted that the Conservatives appointed five prime ministers, seven chancellors of the exchequer, and nine education secretaries during that period, resulting in their worst election result in 200 years. Reed argued that Labour must avoid repeating this pattern of instability.
The intervention follows Labour’s poor performance in recent local elections, which has prompted 89 MPs to publicly call for Starmer’s resignation. However, Reed stated that no MP currently holds the required 81 signatures to mount a formal leadership challenge. He noted that while there are calls for Starmer to quit, the opposition within the party is not united behind a single replacement candidate.
Reed pointed to recent economic and health data as evidence of the government’s progress, noting that the UK’s GDP growth was the fastest in the G7 in the first quarter of 2026 and that NHS waiting lists are falling. He urged ministers to adhere to Starmer’s election mantra of “country first, party second,” focusing on delivering change rather than engaging in internal party politics.
The party is also navigating recent turbulence, including the resignation of Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the clearance of former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner by HMRC of deliberate wrongdoing, and MP Josh Simons standing aside to allow Andy Burnham to potentially challenge for parliament. Despite these developments, Reed insisted that the focus must remain on delivering the change the British public wants to see.