The Labour Party is in the midst of a damning set of election results. At the time of writing, the party has lost almost 900 councillors, it no longer holds power in the Welsh Senedd, and has been almost wiped out by Reform in some areas of the north-west.
Labour MPs are furious. As a result, many of them have begun to question Keir Starmer’s position. After such a damaging set of elections, can the party continue on this track? Or, in order to avoid oblivion, is the question of a change of leadership now becoming unavoidable?
Here is the New Statesman’s rolling tracker of those who have publicly called for Starmer to go:
1. John McDonnell
McDonnell told LBC “we could lose the Labour party” under Keir Starmer’s leadership.
2. Ian Lavery
Lavery told the BBC: “Keir Hardie started the Labour Party… It could be another Keir – Keir Starmer – that could end the party forever.”
3. Jonathan Brash
Brash reiterated his previous call for the Prime Minister to resign in an interview with GB News.
4. Clive Lewis
Lewis said in a statement on X that Starmer should set out a timeline for his departure.
5. Louise Haigh
Haigh told ITV that Starmer cannot lead Labour into another election.
6. Graham Stringer
Stringer said: “I don’t think he can fight the next election if the Labour Party wants to survive.”
7. Conor Naismith
Naismith said in a statement: “In the wake of these catastrophic local elections results, with regret, it is clear to me that we need new leadership.”
8. Anneliese Midgley
Midgley said it’s clear the PM cannot lead Labour into another election and called on him to set out a timeline for his departure.
9. Richard Burgon
Burgon said in a statement: “It is clear that Keir has fought his last election as Labour leader and, deep down, he will know it. The party should now work towards a timetable for an orderly transition to a new leader by the end of this year.”
10. Simon Opher
Opher said in a statement: “The Prime Minister cannot take our party into the next general election. We owe it to our members, elected representatives, and the country, to set aside pride and ambition.”
11. Olivia Blake
Blake said: “The PM “needs to think about his position” and that there needs to be an “orderly plan” for a post-Starmer Labour party.
12. Sarah Owen
Owen said: “Unless Keir Starmer delivers tangible change and truly connects with the public on a human level, he can’t lead us into another election (locally or nationally). People want politics and politicians who are up-front and true to their values.”
13. David Baines
Baines told BBC News that Starmer is not the right person to lead Labour into the next general election.
14. Paula Barker
In a statement, Barker called on the PM to set a timeline for his resignation.
15. Ian Byrne
In a statement, Byrne said the PM must set a timeline for his departure.
16. Apsana Begum
In a statement on X, Begum said the party must change “both leadership and policy”.
17. Neil Duncan-Jordan
In a statement, Duncan-Jordan said: “We promised to do politics differently, but everything now looks tainted and grubby. All those responsible must seriously consider their positions.”
18. Chris Hinchliff
In a statement, Hinchliff called on the PM to resign.
19. Kim Johnson
Johnson told LBC: ““I personally don’t think think Keir will be leading us into the next election. Who will that person be? We don’t know.”
20. Ruth Jones
Jones told Times Radio: “I think the Prime Minister should consider his position.”
21. Andy McDonald
McDonald said in a statement: “We need a change of leader tied to change of policy – for a radical economic vision, with better incomes and higher living standards.”
22. Kate Osborne
Osborne said in a post on social media: “Keir needs to resign”.
23. Jon Trickett:
Trickett told the BBC: “The message from my constituency is that it’s curtains for Keir.”
24. Nadia Whittome
In a statement, Whittome said: “I believe the Prime Minister should announce a timetable for his departure.”
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