Four Ministers Resign; Labour MPs Divide Over Keir Starmer's Leadership Future

Four Labour ministers, notably Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, have tendered their resignations. This comes as a significant number of Labour Members of Parliament are openly challenging Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership, with some demanding his immediate resignation and others pressing for a specified timetable for his departure.

Labour’s internal regulations dictate that 81 MPs must endorse a single challenger to initiate a leadership contest. Despite more than 80 MPs advocating for Starmer’s exit, there remains no consolidated backing for a specific rival candidate, effectively stalling any formal challenge.

Conversely, a separate statement has garnered the signatures of 111 Labour backbenchers and junior ministers, asserting that “This is no time for a leadership contest.” The statement acknowledges a “devastatingly tough set of election results” and emphasises the necessity for collective effort to “win back trust from the electorate.”

Rupa Huq, MP for Ealing Central & Acton, was initially listed among the signatories to this statement. However, Ms Huq subsequently posted on X, expressing her “surprise” and clarifying that she had “not either signed any letter supporting the PM or called for the PM to go.”