UK prime minister defiant as calls for his resignation grow and several ministers quit

Starmer sought to shore up support within his Cabinet on Tuesday after a feverish few days in the wake of heavy losses for the Labor Party in last week’s local elections, which, if repeated in a national election due to be held in 2029, would see the party overwhelmingly removed from power.

Around 90 Labor lawmakers, or more than a fifth of the parliamentary party, have now said Starmer should resign or at least set a timetable for his departure.

However, that is not enough to trigger a leadership contest as no candidate has challenged the prime minister. Under Labor Party rules, a fifth of its lawmakers in the House of Commons, or 81 members, must publicly declare their support for one candidate before a leadership election can take place.

On Tuesday, several junior ministers, some of whom were only elected for the first time during Labour’s landslide election victory in July 2024, resigned and urged Starmer to do the same for the good of the country and the party.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government, became the first member of his government to resign. He urged Starmer to “do the right thing for the country” and set a timetable for his departure.

She was followed by Jess Phillips, the Minister for Security and a prominent member of the Labor Party. In her resignation letter, she described Starmer as a “fundamentally good man” but incapable of making bold changes.

“I know you care a lot, but actions, not words, are what matter,” Phillips said. “I am not sure we are seizing this rare opportunity with the enthusiasm it needs, and I cannot continue to wait for a crisis that will lead to faster progress.”

Despite winning a landslide election victory in July 2024, Labour’s popularity has fallen and Starmer has received much of the blame.

The reasons are varied, including a series of policy missteps, a perceived lack of vision on the prime minister’s part, a struggling British economy and questions about his judgment – ​​especially over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to Washington, despite the envoy’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

At the start of the weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Starmer said he took responsibility for last week’s election losses but would fight on.

Labor faced pressure from right and left, losing votes to the anti-immigrant Reform UK and the Green Party, as well as to nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales. The result reflects the increasing fragmentation of British politics, long dominated by Labor and the Conservatives.

Starmer told his cabinet that a process to oust a leader is underway but has not yet been initiated.

“The country expects us to continue to govern,” Starmer said.

“The last 48 hours have been destabilizing for the government and have real economic costs for our country and for families.”

Those costs were clearly visible in financial markets on Tuesday, with yields on British government bonds rising more than those of comparable countries. This shows that investors find it increasingly risky to hold British government bonds.

As cabinet members left 10 Downing Street, some voiced their support for the embattled prime minister.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said no one publicly challenged Starmer at the meeting, while Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the Prime Minister showed “truly steadfast leadership”.

Later, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy warned Labor lawmakers that the only beneficiary of the party’s “navel-gazing” over Starmer’s position is the populist right.

“He has my full support, and what I say to colleagues is: look, let’s take a step back,” he said. “Take a breath.”

Starmer’s attempts to save his position as prime minister came a day before the state opening of parliament, when the government will present its legislative program for the coming year.

Health Minister 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?” shouted a man across the street. “Are you measuring the curtains?”

The other two names often touted as possible successors are Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister who was forced to resign last year due to an unpaid tax bill. She has long stood out as a different kind of politician with a compelling personal story, growing up in public housing and leaving school at 16 as a teenage mother.

Andy Burnham, the popular mayor of Greater Manchester, is widely seen as one of the strongest candidates but is currently ineligible for office because he is not in parliament.

To participate in the race, he will have to find a seat where he can be elected. That could mean a close ally of his in north-west England having to vacate his or her seat so he can stand up. However, he could be blocked, as was the case earlier this year, or even if he is penalized, he could lose, if last week’s results are any indication.

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