Labour MPs are reportedly preparing to demand Sir Keir Starmer's resignation if the party suffers a heavy defeat in the upcoming local and Senedd elections on May 7, according to sources. Polls indicate Labour could lose around 1,900 seats in English local elections and fall to third place in Wales, a historic low for the party that has won every Senedd election since 1999.
Open Letter Threat
The Times reports that a group of backbench MPs first elected in 2024 are drafting an open letter calling on Starmer to set a resignation date, similar to Tony Blair's 2006 announcement. The move, dubbed 'Starmageddon' by critics, has already been seized upon by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who said it validates his campaign slogan: 'Vote Reform, get Starmer out.'
Government Response
Housing Secretary Steve Reed dismissed the reports as 'absolute nonsense,' telling Times Radio that Labour would not 'copy the Conservatives and go doomscrolling through leaders.' He added that most Labour MPs would not engage in such a plot.
Potential Successors
Three names frequently emerge in Westminster discussions about Starmer's potential replacement: Health Secretary Wes Streeting, former deputy PM Angela Rayner, and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. Both Streeting and Rayner are said to have enough MP support to launch a leadership challenge, though neither is believed to be eager to make the first move. Burnham's allies, however, prefer to delay any contest until he secures a Commons seat, a process fraught with logistical hurdles.
Starmer's Message
In an article for the Observer, Starmer warned against internal infighting, writing: 'When the nation rallied together to deal with Covid, the last government could have channelled that spirit to build a better nation. But instead, they descended into political infighting and let the country slump back to the old status quo. Not this time.'
The elections are expected to see significant gains for Reform and the Green Party, with Labour bracing for substantial losses. The outcome could trigger a leadership crisis within the party, potentially reshaping the political landscape.
