British PM Keir Starmer has defied calls for resignation, and told his cabinet that he intends to continue remaining as premier, as the Labour Party continues to reel from growing internal dissent, following the party’s disastrous performance in recent local elections.
Speaking during a tense cabinet meeting in 10 Downing Street, Starmer reportedly said the formal threshold for a leadership challenge had not been reached and insisted he would fight on, according to The Guardian.
“The Labour party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered,” Starmer told ministers, according to agency’s sources briefed on the meeting.
“The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet.”
Starmer also warned ministers that the political turmoil of the past two days had already caused instability.
“The past 48 hours have been destabilising for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families,” he said.
According to multiple reports, the prime minister was quick to change the topic of conversation, shifting it away from internal politics and instead directing focus on to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, leaving little room for cabinet critics to directly respond.
Though no minister openly called on him to resign during the meeting, there was little contentment among officials.
As per The Guardian’s sources, Starmer avoided holding private conversations with ministers before or after cabinet, apart from a meeting with close ally Richard Hermer.
The remarks were widely interpreted as a direct challenge to potential rivals, particularly Wes Streeting, whose allies have increasingly been linked to discussions about Starmer’s future.
One source claimed Streeting attempted to speak privately with Starmer after the cabinet session but was turned away.
Shortly afterwards, one of Streeting’s closest allies, Jess Phillips, resigned from the government.
In her resignation statement, Phillips said she no longer believed the leadership was making the most of what she called a “rare opportunity”.
“I want a Labour government to work and I will strive as I always have for its success and popularity, but I’m not seeing the change I think I, and the country expect, and so cannot continue to serve as a minister under the current leadership,” she wrote.
Her resignation was followed by that of Alex Davies-Jones, the minister responsible for victims and tackling violence against women and girls.
The pressure on Starmer continued to grow throughout the day, with more MPs publicly urging him either to resign immediately or announce a timetable for departure.
The number of Labour MPs calling for him to go has now reportedly passed 80.
Miatta Fahnbulleh also became the first serving minister to quit earlier on Tuesday morning, with reports suggesting more resignations could follow.
Inside cabinet, there was visible frustration directed at Streeting, according to ministers present.
One minister said Streeting entered the room “as though nothing had happened” despite growing speculation around his leadership ambitions.
“Clearly some colleagues are absolutely furious with him. There were evil looks in his direction,” the minister said.
Another cabinet figure accused Streeting of lacking a clear strategy despite positioning himself as a possible alternative.
“Wes is showing that for all his ‘planning not plotting’ there is no plan,” the minister said.
Despite the turmoil, several senior ministers publicly rallied behind Starmer after the meeting.
Pat McFadden said nobody had challenged the prime minister directly in cabinet and insisted the government should “carry on” with its work.
Liz Kendall also backed Starmer, saying he retained her “full support”.
“This government will do what we were elected to do, which is serve the British people,” she told reporters outside Downing Street.
“There is a process to challenge the leader, nobody has made that challenge.”
