Keir Starmer reeling as MPs set to debate snap election in Labour nightmare | Politics | News
Keir Starmer is facing a new headache after a million citizens signed a nightmare petition for Labor and called on Parliament to call an urgent General Election.
The demands of more than a million citizens will be debated in Parliament on Monday, although Labor has given no indication it will hear the petition.
The petition, which collected nearly 1,060,000 signatures, includes the following statements: “We want a general election to be held immediately. We think the majority needs and wants change.”
Monday’s debate comes as Politico polling shows Sir Keir Starmer’s Labor Party is level with the Greens on 16%, behind Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives (18%) and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK (29%).
The constituency with the most signatures (3,210) was the Essex seat of Brentwood and Ongar, held by Alex Burghart, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who is considered a key ally of Ms Badenoch.
He said: “My constituents in Brentwood and Ongar, and more than a million people across the country, have made clear their views on this Labor Government, the most unpopular government in history. “They have broken promise after promise and made U-turn after U-turn.
It’s clear that people are crying out for a reliable alternative. “Only Kemi Badenoch and the Conservatives have the team and the plan to deliver the change this country needs.”
Election demand was also strong in the Conservative seats of Castle Point (3,098), Braintree (2,995), Rayleigh and Wickford (2,950) and Maldon (2,929), as well as the Labor held seats of Portsmouth North (2,910), Burnley (2,862) and Mr Farage’s Clacton (2,854).
The Labor Party has given no indication of calling an early election.
The Government responded to the petition saying: “This Government was elected with a mandate for change at the July 2024 General Election. Our full focus is on repairing the foundations, rebuilding Britain and restoring public confidence in the Government.”
The debate will last up to three hours and Anna Turley, a non-officiating minister who leads the Labor Party, will respond on behalf of the Government.
