Three ministers urge Starmer to consider his position
At least three cabinet ministers have urged Sir Keir Starmer to consider his position after scores of MPs demanded his exit on Monday, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The three ministers’ interventions came ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood was among the ministers who advised the prime minister to think about setting out a timeline for his departure, The Times reported.
Senior government figures are bracing for another difficult day on Tuesday after more than 60 Labour MPs called for Starmer to quit following last week’s dire local election results. Four parliamentary private secretaries also resigned in succession on Monday evening.
One Starmer ally said of the prime minister: “He’s an incredibly stubborn human being and he knows he can beat [health secretary] Wes [Streeting] if it’s just a two-way fight. But the prospect of a leadership contest is just going to make us look ridiculous, dragging out for weeks.”
The political unrest put pressure on UK government bonds on Monday. The yield on the 10-year gilt rose 0.08 percentage points to climb back to 5 per cent on Monday, underperforming other European government bond markets.
The 30-year gilt yield, which is more sensitive to political instability, rose 0.1 percentage points to 5.67 per cent. Yields rise as prices fall.
The moves came after Starmer vowed he was “not going to walk away” and would fight to remain in office if a Labour colleague sparked a leadership contest, as he gave a speech aimed at resetting his faltering premiership on Monday morning.
Starmer acknowledged that some people were “frustrated with me” and he took responsibility for the election results. But allies feared the address had not done enough to satisfy the prime minister’s critics within the party.
Catherine West, a Labour MP who had threatened to launch a leadership campaign against Starmer, said the prime minister’s relaunch speech was “too little, too late”. She later said about 10 MPs had privately asked to join her list demanding a leadership contest.
As the threat to Starmer’s leadership grew, culture secretary Lisa Nandy backed calls for leadership contender Andy Burnham to be allowed to return to Westminster.
There was also speculation that health secretary Streeting could launch a challenge against Starmer, which has been denied by his allies.
Defence secretary urges Starmer to do what is right for country and party
Defence secretary John Healey spoke with Sir Keir Starmer on Monday to urge him to do what is right for the country and party — and avoid a chaotic process, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Healey recognised the political reality of the situation after more than 65 Labour MPs publicly called for the prime minister’s resignation, but did not urge Starmer to set a timetable for his exit, the person added.
The defence secretary advised Starmer to focus on the precarious geopolitical landscape and economic crisis facing the UK, instead of turning inwards, the person said.
Starmer names replacements for group of junior ministers
Downing Street came out fighting on Monday night as Sir Keir Starmer battled to save his premiership, announcing replacements for the six junior ministerial aides who publicly called for his resignation earlier in the day.
The appointments of six new private parliamentary secretaries, across the Home Office, Department for Health, Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice, environment department and work and pensions department, were confirmed after 10pm.