Starmer dares Labour rebels to trigger contest if they want him out
Sir Keir Starmer has told his Cabinet that challengers need to step up and trigger a contest if they want him to quit.
Starmer said he took responsibility for the local election results but refused to resign in a statement to senior government ministers on Tuesday.
He told ministers: “As I said yesterday, I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised.
“The past 48 hours have been destabilising for the government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families.
“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered.
“The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a Cabinet.”
This came despite reported calls from his home secretary Shabana Mahmood and other ministers for him to quit, along with over 80 Labour MPs.
Miatta Fahnbulleh became the first minister to resign and protest against the Prime Minister, leaving her post in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Starmer defies rebels
In a highly unusual turn of events, a number of ministers spoke to the media after the Cabinet meeting.
Housing secretary Steve Reed gave journalists a short statement to say that a leadership contest had not been triggered, adding that the government would continue under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Technology secretary Liz Kendall, business secretary Peter Kyle and welfare secretary Pat McFadden also spoke to journalists in Downing Street.
McFadden told journalists that no minister challenged the Prime Minister on his leadership around the table.
Kendall said Starmer was “working hard on the big issues that are facing the country” while Kyle said “Keir is showing real steadfast leadership”.
Gilt yields dropped slightly after media appearances by senior ministers though they have risen significantly over the last week on mounting leadership speculation.
All eyes will now be on whether health secretary Wes Streeting launches a leadership bid against Starmer by getting 81 Labour MPs to back him in a contest.
Some of his allies including Labour Growth Group head Chris Curtis and Jas Athwal, a neighbour MP for Ilford South, were among those calling for Starmer to resign.
There will also be some questions over whether Manchester mayor Andy Burnham can secure a return to Westminster and how influential Labour ‘Red Queen’ Angela Rayner act on political turmoil.