Donald Trump has issued what could be a final parting shot to the in-trouble Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, claiming he will resign after failing on immigration and energy policy. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects – IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT."
Trump's Criticism and Context
Trump has repeatedly urged the UK to open up the North Sea for oil instead of using "windmills." Their initially friendly relationship has soured significantly in recent months, particularly over Starmer's refusal to allow US forces to use RAF bases in the initial wave of attacks against Iran. At the G7 summit in France this week, Starmer insisted he and Trump "get on really well" when asked why they did not hold a one-on-one meeting. Trump's comments come as Starmer spends the weekend reflecting on whether to fight or step down amid mounting calls for him to set out a timetable. Trump appears to be drawing from media reports that the Prime Minister could quit as soon as Monday. He has not spoken to Starmer since the G7.
Pressure on Starmer After By-Election
Starmer has vowed not to walk away from his post on Friday, in the immediate aftermath of Andy Burnham winning the Makerfield by-election, but pressure has been mounting over the weekend. A senior Labour government figure today refused to rule out the resignation of the embattled Prime Minister. But Number 10 insisted the PM will continue to fight on following Burnham's emphatic victory. Starmer is known to be losing support from key supporters, including members of his own cabinet. Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, was one of the top ministers to urge the Prime Minister to go in a series of calls held after the by-election, The Mirror reported. The message was delivered privately and the Foreign Secretary has made no public comment. On Sunday morning, Peter Kyle, the Business Secretary, said he had a "frank conversation" about the challenges facing the PM but declined to be drawn further.
Leadership Questions and Burnham's Return
Questions are being raised within Labour about how a change of leader would come about – with some backing a leadership contest and others a swift transfer of power to Burnham. If Starmer does not resign, 81 MPs would need to line up behind a candidate to trigger a contest. Former health secretary Wes Streeting suggested last week he would be willing to fire the starting gun on such a process. Labour MP Toby Perkins, a Starmer loyalist, said it needs to be clear whether a new leader would take the party on a "radical departure" from the manifesto it was elected on. Former minister Jess Phillips said candidates should at least present their ideas to the Parliamentary Labour Party. "I very much hope that over the next week, at least, that whilst we may not end up with a full-scale contest, that there is an opportunity to properly question, in somewhat of a public forum, what's coming next?," she told the BBC. Former Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham returns to Westminster on Monday to be sworn in as the new MP for Makerfield. Long-tipped as a king over the water for Labour, a number of MPs hope Burnham will make a useful prime minister. It is understood his camp wants Starmer to set out his plans in the coming days but would accept a timetable that kept him in No 10 until September.
Brexit Red Lines May Be Up for Debate
With Starmer's premiership in peril and the 10th anniversary of the referendum approaching, rows over Brexit have burst into the open once again, writes The Mirror's Deputy Political Editor Ashley Cowburn. It was only last year Labour felt confident enough to punch at the Brexit wound again. Rolling the pitch for her second Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves warned the economic fallout of the decision to leave the bloc was having a greater impact than first forecast. But the red lines remained and the issue appeared settled. Now, with Mr Starmer's premiership in peril and the 10th anniversary of the referendum approaching, rows over the future of Brexit have burst into the open once again.
Timeline of Trump-Starmer Relationship
Trump and Starmer's relationship has been often warm but frequently rocky as their times as world leaders have overlapped. When Starmer was leader of the opposition, he said he would have "to make it work" if both he and Trump were given the highest office. Efforts were made, and the two held their first dinner together in New York in September 2024 alongside then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Lammy had previously branded the ex-President a "woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath." The first signs of friction emerged amid a row over British volunteers travelling to campaign for the Democrats in battleground states. Trump's campaign team complained to the Federal Election Commission, accusing the UK Labour Party of "blatant foreign interference" in the US election. Starmer dismissed the complaint, saying it was a regular occurrence for party staff to volunteer in the US election. Upon Trump's inauguration, the British Government made efforts to interact warmly with the Trump administration. Trump said the pair get along well, and that Starmer had done a "very good job thus far." Around this time, the Government began to line up Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, viewed as a trusted pair of hands amid fears Trump would impose tariffs on the UK.
