A Labour MP who has vowed to topple Prime Minister Keir Starmer has outlined what he needs to do to change her mind. Catherine West sparked turmoil within the Labour Party by announcing she would launch a leadership bid if no Cabinet member steps forward. The backbencher will assess Starmer's critical speech on Monday before sending an email to all fellow MPs seeking their support.
West's Conditions for Withdrawing Her Challenge
In an interview with Metro, West detailed what she needs to hear from Starmer to halt her campaign. She revealed that no Cabinet contenders have contacted her to support her intervention. The Prime Minister is facing rebellion after disastrous local election results, which saw Labour lose power in Wales and over 1,400 council seats in England.
Although many MPs have called for Starmer's resignation, no senior Labour figures have stepped forward to challenge him. West, who previously backed Jeremy Corbyn for leader, declared she would put her name forward if no Cabinet member acts over the weekend.
West's Vision for Labour
The Hornsey and Friern Barnet MP stated: 'We are heading towards electoral disaster in two years. We have to turn the Labour Party into a fighting machine for the next general election to secure a second term. We need a better communicator. I would have expected the Cabinet to have met over the weekend to ask the Prime Minister to step aside.'
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson called West's plan 'completely wrong,' but the veteran MP remains undeterred. The only obstacle to her bid is Starmer's do-or-die speech on Monday, where he will outline his plan to reset his premiership.
West said: 'Once he has spoken, I will decide whether he is convincing or whether we need to move to set a timetable to elect a new leader.' When asked what Starmer must do to win her over, the left-wing MP responded: 'I want to see Keir Starmer fighting. He is not fighting. He has got to fight for working people.'
She elaborated: 'His demeanor. He has to wake up every morning thinking, "Why am I awake? I am awake to make this country fairer and to help working people in their daily lives."' The north London MP also suggested Starmer should expand his top team to include representatives from regions where Labour is losing voters.
West explained: 'We have Members of Parliament in seaside towns, cities, Scotland, and Wales, yet there is no attempt to use them to get the message out.' She insisted she would 'rather not' put herself forward and hopes the media frenzy will encourage Cabinet members to act first.
Cabinet Silence and Backbench Support
West revealed that no Cabinet politician has contacted her to support her plan. The only minister she has spoken to since her announcement is Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds, whom she encouraged to stand. 'I did suggest to him he might be good. He has done a lot of good things on bringing steel back into public ownership. He comes from a working family background in the northeast.'
Despite Cabinet silence, West said many backbenchers have texted her saying 'Well done.' She added: 'That is not the same as saying they want to see me as Prime Minister. What they are saying is we need change.'
West's Vision for the Country
By threatening to topple Starmer, West is prepared to take on the top job herself, although she says that is not her goal. Asked about her vision for the country, she said: 'I want to put working people first. That is what the Labour Party is for: to ensure we look after working people, that we think about them every day we wake up. That we try our hardest to make sure every child has the best education, that the NHS is there for everyone from cradle to grave. That we tackle the mental health crisis among young people so they can work and enjoy contributing to society. I want our economy to be steady and stable despite global challenges.'
West refused to say whether she would back out if other contenders emerge. 'It is far too early to say,' she insisted. She also declined to endorse any leading candidates to replace Starmer, such as Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, or Andy Burnham. Instead, she called on female MPs to step forward. 'Everybody has an idea of their perfect candidate. There is no perfect candidate. I have said to all the women in the party, "Stand up," because I think that could be what we need.'
Starmer's Response and the Wider Context
Starmer vowed to remain in Number 10 for another eight years in an interview with The Observer over the weekend, stating he would fight any leadership challenges. He described his government as a '10-year project of renewal' and pledged to set out his values and convictions clearly in Monday's speech. 'I am not going to walk away from the job I was elected to do in July 2024. I am not going to plunge the country into chaos,' he said.
West acknowledged that a leadership contest would bring 'an element of uncertainty' but argued it was 'worth it' to find a more suitable Prime Minister. Starmer also addressed the rise of Reform and the Greens, who gained voters from Labour in the local elections. He said: 'I believe there are not many people who actually want Zack Polanski or Nigel Farage as Prime Minister. The mainstream majority want to know that we, the government, have progressive answers to their daily challenges, and we need to spell those out with conviction.'
West's challenge has drawn criticism from other Labour MPs. Richard Burgon, a former ally of Jeremy Corbyn, warned that 'there is a real danger that, whatever her good intentions, her move will be exploited by people on the right of the party who want a coronation and not a proper democratic contest.'
