Every Labour MP who’s demanded Starmer quit after local elections hammering
Sir Keir Starmer is facing growing calls to resign following Friday’s disastrous local and devolved election results – the worst election in history for Labour.
The Prime Minister said he would not resign following the results and vowed to “face the big challenges ahead” in his challenge speech on Monday.
But more than 50 Labor MPs have called on Sir Keir to stand down and make room for the leadership race. The list continues to grow throughout Monday as the Prime Minister continues his defiance.
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Both former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and health minister Wes Streeting are seen as potential leadership candidates, but neither has yet made a move against the prime minister.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is also considered a candidate, but he is still not an MP after Sir Keir blocked him from becoming the Labor candidate in the Gorton and Denton byelection in February.
On Sunday, Ms Rayner said Labour’s approach was “not working and needs to change”, adding that the party should not block Mr Burnham’s bid to become an MP.
Labor MP Catherine West called on cabinet members at the weekend to challenge Sir Keir by Monday and threatened to start formally collecting names to trigger a contest.
Following Sir Keir’s speech on Monday morning in which he promised to prove skeptics wrong and “not walk away”, Ms West backed down from her leadership candidacy but called on Labor MPs to call on the prime minister to set a timetable for his resignation by September.
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.
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.
