Starmer facing mounting pressure to resign as he meets UK Cabinet in crunch talks
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated on Tuesday that he plans to remain in office as he met with Cabinet members in critical talks that will determine his future.
Starmer is trying to shore up support within the Cabinet following Labor’s heavy losses in last week’s local elections; If this situation is repeated in national elections, it will result in his being thrown out of power by an overwhelming majority.
The meeting came after more than 70 Labor members, representing almost a fifth of the party’s representation in Parliament, said Starmer should stand down or at least set a timetable for his departure.
On Tuesday, minister Miatta Fahnbulleh resigned and called on Starmer to “do the right thing for the country” and set a timetable for his resignation.
Fahnbulleh, who is housing, communities and local government minister and is considered to be on the left of the party, said he was proud of his service but said the government was not acting with the vision, pace and mandate for change given by voters.
“Nor have we governed as a Labor Party that is clear about our values and strong about our beliefs,” he said.
But Starmer has redoubled his determination to remain in office.
Starmer told Cabinet ministers he took responsibility for the devastating losses in last week’s local elections across the UK but would continue to fight.
Starmer said there was a process to remove a leader and it had not been triggered.
“The country expects us to continue governing,” he said. “This is what I do and this is what we need to do.”
In a speech in London on Monday to respond to his critics, Starmer rejected demands that he resign and said he would “face big challenges” and give Britain new hope.
Labor was plunged into panic last week by heavy losses in local elections in England and legislative votes in Scotland and Wales. The election was seen as an unofficial referendum on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he came to power with a landslide victory less than two years ago.
Starmer’s government is struggling to deliver promised economic growth, repair aging public services and protect the public from rising costs of living. Trust in Starmer has also been damaged by his U-turns on issues including welfare reform and his disastrous decision to appoint Jeffrey Epstein’s scandal-tainted friend Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.
In last week’s elections, Labor was squeezed from the left and right, losing votes to both the anti-immigrant Reform England and the “eco-populist” Green Party. The result reflects the growing fragmentation of UK politics, long dominated by Labor and the Conservatives.
Starmer addressed King George III in his speech on Monday and at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday. He hoped to gain momentum with the ambitious legislative plans that Charles would prepare.
