British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing intensifying pressure to step down after dozens of Labour MPs, including Cabinet allies, urged him to outline a timeline for his departure. The calls for resignation follow last week's local elections, where Labour lost control of the Welsh parliament and nearly three-fifths of the English council seats it was defending.
Cabinet Support Eroding
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has privately urged Starmer to consider handing over power to a successor, according to sources familiar with the matter. This follows a similar intervention by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband in recent weeks, signaling that Cabinet support for the prime minister is waning.
Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, acknowledged on Tuesday that Starmer is weighing his options. "He's listening to colleagues, and he's talking to colleagues," Jones told Times Radio. "I can't say what decision he may or may not take."
Market Reaction
The political uncertainty rattled financial markets. The pound extended losses on Tuesday, falling more than 0.5% to $1.3536, down from above $1.3650 the previous day. The yield on 10-year government bonds surged beyond 5.10%, while 30-year debt yields hit their highest level since 1998, reflecting investor concerns that a successor might increase fiscal spending.
Some Labour MPs have sought to downplay fears of higher borrowing. Yuan Yang, a Labour MP on the Treasury Committee, stated: "I don't think there's anyone who's seriously asking for large unfunded pledges. We understand the importance of fiscal rules."
Factional Divisions
The leadership crisis has exposed deep rifts within the Labour Party. More than 70 of Labour's 403 MPs have called on Starmer to step aside. The party is divided between those favoring a center-left candidate similar to Starmer and those seeking a more left-wing standard-bearer to unite the party.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been preparing for months to seek the premiership if an opportunity arises. A ministerial aide of Streeting and his constituency neighbor have joined calls for Starmer's exit, fueling speculation about Streeting's ambitions.
Other Cabinet members are urging Starmer to fight on. Housing Secretary Steve Reed and Attorney General Richard Hermer are said to be backing the prime minister, while Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Defense Secretary John Healey are reportedly not pushing him either way.
Starmer's Defiance
In a speech earlier Tuesday, Starmer vowed to prove his doubters wrong and remain in office. He warned the party against repeating the mistakes of the Conservative government, which cycled through five prime ministers after Brexit. "What we witnessed with the last government was the chaos of constantly changing leaders," Starmer said. "And it cost this country a huge amount."
Downing Street declined to comment on the latest developments. A regularly scheduled Cabinet meeting on Tuesday is expected to be tense as Starmer faces his ministers.
