UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told members of his Cabinet on Tuesday that he has no intention of resigning as calls grew louder within his Labour Party for him to step down. Starmer tried to shore up support within his Cabinet following a febrile few days in the wake of hefty losses for the Labour Party in local elections last week, which if repeated in a national election would see it overwhelmingly ejected from power. Several junior ministers stepped down from their government posts Tuesday, calling for a change in leadership, though no candidate had yet come forward to challenge Starmer directly. The resignations stoked speculation that Starmer could suffer the fate of Boris Johnson in 2022 when dozens of ministers quit en masse and forced him to quit, reports the AP.
Around 80 Labour lawmakers have now said Starmer should stand down or at least set out a timetable for his departure, but that's not enough to trigger a leadership contest. Under Labour rules, a fifth of its lawmakers in the House of Commons, or 81 members, must publicly back a single candidate, and that hasn't happened yet. On Tuesday, Miatta Fahnbulleh, minister of housing, became the first member of Starmer's government to step down, urging him "to do the right thing for the country" and set a timetable for his departure. She was followed by Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, whose resignation letter called Starmer a "good man fundamentally" but vented about his inability to make bold changes. "I know you care deeply, but deeds, not words are what matter," Phillips said. "I'm not sure we are grasping this rare opportunity with the gusto that's needed and I cannot keep waiting around for a crisis to push for faster progress."
Despite winning a landslide election victory in July 2024, Labour's popularity has sunk and Starmer is getting much of the blame. The reasons are varied, including a series of policy missteps, a perceived lack of vision, a struggling British economy, and questions over his judgment—especially over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington despite his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. At the start of the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Starmer said he took responsibility for the losses in last week's elections but that he would fight on. "The country expects us to get on with governing," Starmer said. "The past 48 hours have been destabilizing for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families."
As Cabinet ministers left 10 Downing Street, some voiced their support for Starmer. Works and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said nobody publicly challenged Starmer at the meeting, while Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the PM was showing "really steadfast leadership." Health Secretary Wes Streeting, long believed to be preparing for a leadership challenge against Starmer, was among senior ministers who dodged a barrage of shouted questions from a gaggle of reporters outside. "Wes Streeting, do you want the job, or not?" a man yelled from across the street. "Are you measuring the curtains?"
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