Keir Starmer is facing a growing rebellion as the number of Labour MPs calling for his resignation has increased over the past 48 hours. Unlike previous leadership challenges, the cabinet has remained largely silent, with only a few ministers publicly backing the prime minister.
Four ministers have resigned, intensifying pressure on Starmer to step down. While he remains in office for now, some within the government question whether his political operation is as effective as before, especially after the departure of his long-term aide Morgan McSweeney.
No 10's Response Criticised
One MP expressed frustration at the lack of a coordinated fightback from Downing Street, stating there was "literally no guidance or plan." Another noted that the political operation has changed significantly since McSweeney's resignation in February.
McSweeney, who resigned as chief of staff over his role in recommending Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, remains close to Starmer but is not providing advice to No 10. His successors, Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson, led the response to a previous challenge from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, but Cuthbertson is currently on maternity leave.
Cabinet Room Strategy
The same team has assembled in the cabinet room, though without Cuthbertson, who briefly visited Downing Street on Monday but did not make calls. Officials say her absence is felt, as she had strong connections across the Labour party. Stuart Ingham and Sophie Nazemi have also contributed to the effort.
Downing Street officials claim they are using similar tactics as before, including phone calls across the party and defiant public messages. Some have warned of dire economic consequences if Starmer is ousted, such as a spike in bond yields, though they avoid directly telling MPs they are being held hostage.
One government figure said there is a "very good chance" of a Liz Truss-style crisis, referring to the bond market turmoil after her mini-budget, but acknowledged that MPs become nervous when they feel pressured.
MPs' Absence Helps and Hinders
Starmer's aides have been helped by the fact that MPs are still in their constituencies after local elections and do not return to Westminster until Wednesday. While this makes coordination of the prime minister's defence more difficult, it also prevents collaboration among his opponents.
On Tuesday, over 100 Labour MPs, including former minister Tulip Siddiq, Carolyn Harris, and Perran Moon, signed a letter stating that now is not the time for a leadership contest. The letter was coordinated by backbenchers and parliamentary ministerial aides, though it was circulated by government whips.
Starmer's Message to Cabinet
At cabinet, Starmer made it clear that it was time either to trigger a leadership contest or stand down. He challenged Health Secretary Wes Streeting to move against him, saying the past 48 hours have been destabilising and have real economic costs. He noted that the Labour party has a process for challenging a leader, which has not been triggered.
Sources told the Guardian that Starmer did not give critics time to respond before moving on to discuss the Middle East. He did not hold one-on-one meetings before or after cabinet, except with his ally Richard Hermer. Streeting reportedly tried to speak to the prime minister privately but was rebuffed.
After the meeting, Starmer visited a technical college in south London, while some cabinet ministers issued supportive statements outside Downing Street. However, others, including Streeting, Ed Miliband, and Yvette Cooper, remained silent in public, contrasting sharply with February when every cabinet minister quickly declared support.
Uncertain Future
As the dust settled, Starmer's allies were cautiously hopeful that they had shored up his position for another day, but they avoided predicting further into the future. One said, "I don't know what happens next. It might be that Andy or Wes backs down having marched their armies halfway up the hill. Or it might be that one of them succeeds and arrives in Downing Street just as the jet fuel runs out."
