Every Labour MP who has demanded Starmer quit as number reaches 96

Sir Keir Starmer could face a leadership challenge in the coming days after Wes Streeting quit as health secretary in a scathing letter criticizing the prime minister’s premiership.

The Labor leader insisted he will not resign because of the fallout from last week’s worst local election results on record for Labour.

But nearly 100 of his own MPs have now spoken out against him as potential leadership challengers appear to be lining up for a contest.

Mr Streeting, widely seen as a leadership hopeful, did not indicate in his letter that he intended to challenge the prime minister but encouraged him to set a timetable for his departure.

Hours earlier, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner announced that she had been cleared of intentional wrongdoing in relation to tax affairs.

Ms Rayner did not rule out joining Labour’s leadership race but said: Guard it wouldn’t trigger a contest.

Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has withdrawn from his weekly radio show to “prioritise discussions arising from last week’s local elections”, sparking speculation he is preparing to make moves to return to Westminster.

The trio are seen as leaders who would replace the prime minister in the event of a leadership contest, although Mr Burnham would first have to become an MP; That path has potentially been opened by Makerfield MP Josh Simons’ intention to resign his seat on Thursday.

Amid the drama, more than 100 Labor MPs also signed a statement urging Sir Keir Starmer not to back down, saying “this is not the time for a leadership contest” and revealing a new divide in the party.

In his resignation letter, Mr Streeting wrote: “Where we need vision there is a void. Where we need direction we are adrift.”

“It is now clear that you will not be leading Labor at the next general election and that Labor MPs and Labor unions want the debate about what happens next to be a battle of ideas, not personalities or petty factionalism,” he added.

While this is the most notable resignation of the saga so far, it follows that of several other junior government ministers. These were:

Ms Phillips announced her resignation in a letter to the prime minister, writing: “Fundamentally I think you are a good man, someone who cares about the right things, but I have seen first-hand how that is not enough.”

He added: “…I cannot see the change that I and the country expect and therefore cannot continue to serve as a minister under the current leadership.”

There is no formal vote of confidence procedure to remove a Labor leader. Anyone challenging Sir Keir will instead need the support of 81 MPs – 20 per cent of the party in the House of Commons – to launch a contest.

To replace the prime minister, all of these MPs will need to support the same candidate.

Four deputy ministers tendered their resignations amid the chaos, including Wes Streeting’s deputy minister, Joe Morris.

Environment minister Emma Reynolds and Cabinet Office PPS Naushabah Khan’s parliamentary private secretary (PPS) Tom Rutland also resigned, while calling on Sir Keir to resign.

The growing list of Parliamentary Labor Party (PLP) members speaking out against the prime minister goes beyond the list of usually vocal opponents, reflecting the more than 100 strong rebellions the cabinet faced over benefit cuts last July.

They include former transport secretary Louise Haigh, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and senior MP Barry Gardiner.

Signaling Sir Keir to resign, Pendle and Clitheroe MP Jonathan Hinder claimed the prime minister had “never been an electoral tool”.

He said on the BBC news night: “The plain truth is, as any Labor MP will tell you, it has never been an election tool.

“Our best asset electorally was that the Conservatives were unpopular and split the Reform vote, which is a big reason why I’m sitting here today, but I don’t underestimate the amount of work he did.”

“I think he’s in this for the right reasons. I know his team, like all of us, worked incredibly hard to get us here, but we have to face the facts now,” he continued. “We need a new leader for the Labor Party and most importantly our country needs a new leader.”

Labor was elected with 411 seats (a majority of 174 seats) in the 2024 general election, marking the party’s best performance since 2001. With so many MPs, it becomes technically difficult to launch a leadership challenge against the prime minister, as 20 percent of these members would be needed to nominate a candidate, which means 81 MPs.

However, the fact that Labor MPs openly voice their calls will cause great concern in Downing Street.