LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told members of his Cabinet on Tuesday that he has no intention to resign, as calls within his Labour Party for him to step down grew louder. Starmer is attempting to shore up support within his Cabinet following a turbulent period after hefty losses for Labour in local elections last week. If repeated in a national election, these losses would see the party overwhelmingly ejected from power.
Growing Discontent Within Labour Ranks
The meeting took place after more than 70 Labour backbenchers, representing nearly a fifth of the party's representation in the House of Commons, stated that Starmer should stand down or at least set out a timetable for his departure. This indicates the depth of discontent within Labour, although no one has yet announced a candidacy for party leadership to directly challenge Starmer.
On Tuesday, junior minister Miatta Fahnbulleh stepped down, urging Starmer "to do the right thing for the country" and set a timetable to step aside. Fahnbulleh, who served as housing, communities and local government minister and is considered on the left of the party, said she was proud of her service but that the government had not acted with the vision, pace, and mandate for change given by voters. "Nor have we governed as a Labour Party clear about our values and strong in our convictions," she added.
Reasons Behind Labour's Declining Popularity
Despite winning a landslide election victory in July 2024, Labour's popularity has plummeted, with Starmer receiving much of the blame. The reasons are varied, including a series of policy missteps, a perceived lack of vision, a struggling British economy, and questions over his judgment, particularly his appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington despite Mandelson's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Starmer doubled down on his resolve to stay in post. At the start of Tuesday's meeting, he told Cabinet ministers that he took responsibility for the losses in last week's local elections across the UK but that he would fight on. Last week's elections saw Labour squeezed from both the right and left, losing votes to the anti-immigrant Reform UK and the eco-populist Green Party. This result reflects the increasing fragmentation of UK politics, long dominated by Labour and the Conservatives.
Leadership Challenge Process
Starmer noted that there is a process to oust a leader and that it has not been triggered. Under Labour's rules, candidates must have the support of a fifth of the party's House of Commons lawmakers, a number that currently stands at 81. "The country expects us to get on with governing," Starmer said. "That is what I am doing and what we must do."
The next UK national election does not have to be held until 2029, but British politics allows parties to change leaders midterm without a general election. Starmer had hoped to regain momentum with a speech on Monday intended to kickstart his fightback against detractors, and an ambitious set of legislative plans to be set out by King Charles III at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday.
