Keir Starmer faces the biggest test of his premiership as calls for him to step down grow, with Angela Rayner warning the Labour Party is on its "last chance." The Prime Minister will deliver a make-or-break speech on Monday, vowing to deliver strength through fairness and put the UK back at the heart of Europe after Friday's local elections mauling.
Rayner's Explosive Intervention
Former Deputy PM Angela Rayner issued an ultimatum on Sunday night, accusing the government of failing to deliver. In a statement, she said: "What we are doing isn't working, and it needs to change. This may be our last chance. The Labour Party must now live up to our name: we must be the party of working people." Referring to the disastrous poll results, she added: "In London, we lost young people who fear they will never afford a home. Across the north, we lost working people whose wages are too low and costs too high."
Leadership Challenges Mount
Backbencher Catherine West threatened to trigger a leadership contest if the Cabinet does not topple Starmer. She said: "I will hear what the Prime Minister has to say tomorrow, and then if I'm still dissatisfied, I will put out my email to the Parliamentary Labour Party, asking for names." Health Secretary Wes Streeting has reportedly drawn up plans to lead if Starmer's leadership collapses, while Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is expected to unveil a plan to return to Parliament, opening the door for a leadership contest.
Starmer's Speech and King's Speech
Starmer's speech comes ahead of Wednesday's King's Speech, which will set out the government's agenda. He is expected to say: "To meet the challenges that our country faces, incremental change won't cut it. On growth, defence, Europe, energy – we need a bigger response than we anticipated in 2024 because these are not ordinary times."
Party Divisions and Warnings
Former Justice Minister Josh Simons said Starmer had "lost the country" and should oversee an orderly transition. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson warned against changing PMs, telling the BBC: "I just do not believe we ought to spend time as a party amongst ourselves, arguing amongst ourselves. We do need to tell a better story."
The crisis follows Labour's loss of over 1,100 councillors in England, control of 36 local authorities, the Senedd in Wales, and major losses in the Scottish Parliament election. Rayner's intervention also criticized the decision to block Andy Burnham from standing in a by-election, which saw the Greens take a previously safe Labour seat.
