A former minister has abandoned her bid to launch a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer, urging Labour MPs to press the Prime Minister to set a timetable for his resignation. Catherine West had earlier indicated she would challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership as early as Monday afternoon, aiming to force the Cabinet to propose a replacement prime minister. However, after a speech in which Sir Keir declared he would not "walk away," Ms West stated she would instead canvass support for the Prime Minister to outline a resignation schedule by September.
West's statement and rationale
In a statement, Ms West said: "I have listened to the Prime Minister's speech this morning. I welcome the renewed energy and ideas. However, I have reluctantly concluded that this morning's speech was too little too late. The results last Thursday show that the PM has failed to inspire hope. What is best for the party and country now is for an orderly transition." Speaking to the Press Association, she added that she thought Sir Keir's speech had been "heartfelt," but it did not "change the mathematics of how many seats we lost on Thursday."
Electoral losses spark leadership speculation
Speculation about the Prime Minister's future has surged since Thursday's elections, which saw Labour lose almost 1,500 English councillors, go backwards in Scotland, and slump to third in Wales. The electoral mauling has prompted a succession of Labour MPs to call for the Prime Minister to step down or set out a timetable for his departure. In a speech in central London on Monday, Sir Keir said he took "responsibility" for the losses but insisted he would fight on. Facing down those calling for his resignation, Sir Keir said: "I'm not going to shy away from the fact that I've got some doubters, including in my own party. I'm not going to shy away from the fact that I have to prove them wrong, and I will."
Starmer's policy proposals
As the Prime Minister battled to save his job, Monday's speech had been billed as setting out sweeping changes needed to tackle the "big challenges" facing Britain. Sir Keir set out a number of measures, including legislation to nationalise British Steel, a ban on "far-right agitators" coming to the UK for a planned march on Saturday, and a plan to put the UK "at the heart of Europe." He cast the current political moment as a "battle for the soul" of the UK, warning that if Labour failed, the country would head down "a very dark path." He said: "This is nothing less than a battle for the soul of our nation and I want to be crystal clear about how we will win it because we cannot win as a weaker version of Reform or the Greens. We can only win as a stronger version of Labour, a mainstream party of power, not protest."
Mixed reactions from Labour MPs
A handful of backbenchers spoke up in support of the Prime Minister in the immediate aftermath of the speech, with Macclesfield MP Tim Roca and Gedling's Michael Payne saying Sir Keir had demonstrated he understood "the scale of the challenge" facing the country. But others continued to call for his resignation. North Northumberland MP David Smith, who has been the UK's special envoy for freedom of religion or belief since 2024, said Labour owed "a debt of gratitude" to Sir Keir but could not "carry on with the approach we have taken" since the general election. Others have looked towards Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, saying he should be allowed to return to Parliament. But Sir Keir would not be drawn on whether he would support Mr Burnham's return to Westminster, saying it was a matter for Labour's national executive committee (NEC).
Rayner criticises Burnham block
The NEC, dominated by supporters of the Prime Minister, blocked Mr Burnham from contesting the Gorton and Denton by-election earlier this year, with the formerly safe Labour seat going on to be won by the Greens. In a speech to the Communication Workers Union on Monday, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner – herself regarded as a potential leadership contender – said the decision to block Mr Burnham should be "put right." She said: "We as a party have to do better than this and we can only prove we mean our Labour values by putting the common interest ahead of factionalism. And we can start by accepting that Andy Burnham should never have been blocked. It was a mistake that the leadership of our party should put right."
Financial market reaction
Meanwhile, UK Government bonds and the pound came under pressure in a largely negative financial market reaction to Sir Keir's speech. Yields on 30-year government bonds, also known as gilts, lifted 10 basis points higher to 5.68%, while 10-year gilt yields also back up to just below 5%, up 8 basis points at 4.99%. Gilt yields move counter to the value of the bonds, meaning their prices fall when yields rise. Sterling also weakened, falling 0.2% to 1.36 US dollars and was 0.1% down at 1.15 euros.
Conservative response
Responding to the speech, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said it was "sad to watch," adding: "With so many resets, even his reset button needs a reset. But I do not take pleasure in watching the Prime Minister flounder. The country needs leadership, not another speech from a man who clearly knows something has gone badly wrong, but still can't explain why." Mrs Badenoch also dismissed Labour's "pretenders jostling for his job," saying: "They are busy arguing over who should drive the car, but the truth is they are all heading in the wrong direction. They have no vision for the future."
