Starmer faces Labour leadership challenge threat after election losses
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer could face a leadership challenge as soon as next week after Labor suffered huge losses in Thursday’s local elections.
Labor MP Catherine West told the BBC that if a Cabinet minister did not challenge Starmer by Monday, she would trigger a leadership race.
West said he had put the Cabinet “on alert.”
“I’m warning people that if I don’t hear from some leadership candidates by Monday morning, I’m going to ask everyone in the Parliamentary Labor Party to put a name in front of mine, because we need to get this started,” he said.
THATCHER’S FORMER ADVISOR TRUMP SAYS ‘THE RIGHT TO BE ANGER’ ABOUT EUROPE’S BETRAYAL TO IRAN
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer provides an update on the situation in the Middle East at a press conference in Downing Street, London, March 5, 2026. (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“But my preferred option is for the Cabinet to make a reshuffle internally, there is a lot of talent here and Keir is given a different role, perhaps an international role, and then others come forward who can get the message across, who are very capable and so make a minimum of fuss,” he continued.
West, a former foreign secretary, will need the support of 20 per cent of Labor MPs – or 81 members – to launch a contest.
He said about 10 MPs supported his efforts, according to the report, and he was confident more would join.
THE ARRIVAL OF 200,000 SMALL BOATS IN THE UK AFTER RECENT TERROR ATTACKS ‘SERIOUSLY’ RAISE THE THREAT LEVEL
(From left) Attorney-General Lord Richard Hermer, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meet with representatives from criminal justice agencies at 10 Downing Street, Westminster, following the terror attack in Golders Green on Wednesday morning in which two Jewish men were stabbed. Picture date: Thursday, April 30, 2026. (Dan Kitwood/PA Images via Getty Images)
According to GB News, Labor suffered a loss of nearly 1,400 across the UK in this week’s election, with Reform UK making significant gains.
Starmer took responsibility for the losses but resisted calls to resign, saying he “will not go away and plunge the country into chaos”.
Still, he did not explicitly rule out a controlled exit and is expected to address that on Monday.
ONLYFANS MODEL PLAYED IN THE WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP IN ENGLAND
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces increasing pressure within the Labor Party following defeat in local elections. (Kin Cheung/AFP)
Late Friday, 22 Labor MPs publicly called for the prime minister to resign or set a timetable for his departure, the BBC reported.
West did not name a preferred replacement.
“I don’t have a candidate,” he said. “That’s part of the problem.”
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
“But I think there are a few people who want to do this, who have been planning for months, but I’m very surprised that none of them have come forward today and said, ‘I’m going to do it,'” he added.
Fox News Digital’s Robert Schmad contributed to this report.
