Keir Starmer ‘decides to stand down’ as Labour rivals circle | Politics | News
Sir Keir Starmer has reportedly told friends he will stand down and set a timetable for his departure from No 10. An anonymous member his The Cabinet told MailOnline that the Prime Minister “understands the political reality” and recognizes that the “current chaos” is “unsustainable”.
The same source reportedly told the same publication: “He just wants to be able to do it with dignity and in the way he chooses. He will set a timetable.” Another minister claimed Sir Keir’s former private secretary Morgan McSweeney had urged him to wait, arguing he still had a chance of survival if there was a tight leadership race or the Mayor of Manchester remained in office. Andy Burnhamwho is believed to be seeking to replace him, appears on the course to lose.
There are reports that Sir Keir is planning to resign after falling out with the Prime Minister’s insistence a few days ago that he would not resign.
Asked whether he would lead Labor at the next election and serve a full five-year term, he told the Sunday Mirror on May 10: “Yes I will and I have always said that this is a decade of national renewal where the legacy we inherit is not just the broken economy but a legacy of horrors on all fronts.”
Wes Streeting has since resigned as Health Minister and stated that he will seek to join the race to become Prime Minister.
Mr Burnham is also a potential rival to Sir Keir, but he needs to win a by-election in Makerfield to become an MP and challenge Sir Keir.
Sir Keir said Labor would “be better and do better” in a tough speech on Monday, but it ultimately failed to win over skeptics in his own party.
Reviewer Dan Hodges writes: MailHe said Sir Keir’s withdrawal had the potential to undermine Mr Burnham’s by-election campaign.
A spokesman for Mr Burnham’s team insisted the announcement of a timetable for Sir Keir’s departure was a matter for him.
An ally of the Greater Manchester mayor told Hodges they did not want to confuse his campaign message that a vote for Mr Burnham was a vote for change in the 10th.
So far Mr Burnham has only been given permission by Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), to take part in the selection process for the Makerfield by-election.
While Makerfield is usually a safe haven for Labour, this time the party expects a tough challenge from Reform UK.
The seat is up for grabs after Josh Simons wrote in The Times that Sir Keir had “lost the country” and should oversee an orderly transition to a new prime minister.
