Catherine West, the Labour MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet, has found herself at the center of a political storm after attempting to spark a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer. Initially branded a 'stalking horse' for testing the waters on behalf of others, her efforts have drawn criticism from colleagues who compare her to a riderless horse causing chaos in a race.
West's Initial Challenge
West announced on Saturday that she would seek nominations from 80 Labour MPs to launch a challenge, hoping to smoke out a cabinet minister to act as a replacement. However, her plan quickly unraveled as no senior figures stepped forward, and many MPs expressed concerns about the rushed timeline. 'Fundamentally unserious. It has made everything worse,' one MP said, while another added, 'I honestly don’t know. I think most people are giving her a wide berth.'
Motivations and Concerns
Friends of West say she was furious after Labour’s poor performance in local elections, where the party lost control of Haringey, which includes her constituency. 'She is terrified at the idea of Reform just walking into Downing Street, and thinks the party needs a street fighter to combat them,' one friend said. 'Keir has many qualities but he’s not that.' West herself stated she had no preferred candidate, hoping instead for a cabinet reshuffle where Starmer would take a different role, such as foreign secretary.
Media Appearance and Criticism
In a BBC One interview, West sat next to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, urging cabinet ministers to act. 'Well, there’s nothing stopping Bridget from standing. Why are all the men better than all the women?' West said, as Phillipson responded with a forced smile, 'I love you dearly, Catherine, but I just disagree on this one.' The exchange highlighted the lack of support for West’s approach.
Scaling Back Demands
On Monday, West changed tactics, announcing she would email every Labour MP to ask if they wanted Starmer to set a September deadline to step down. This move perturbed some supporters of an immediate challenge, who now face Starmer remaining in office for months. West hopes the pressure will force Starmer to go, allowing a replacement by September. However, critics remain skeptical, with one friend noting, 'She had expected that others would come forward very quickly, and that after a couple of media interviews it would all die down. Now she seems to be putting in a lot of hard work for other people.'
