Sir Keir Starmer has told his Cabinet he “will not quit” despite mounting calls for his resignation.
The first minister resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s government on Tuesday morning as pressure builds on the prime minister to stand down.
Junior minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said on Tuesday she had stood down and called for Sir Keir to lay out a timetable for an “orderly transition”.
It comes as Cabinet members arrive at No 10 for a showdown with ministers after at least four members of his top team also urged him to resign in what has been seen as the biggest crisis of his premiership.
There is amid mounting speculation Wes Streeting is planning to launch a coup. The health secretary’s camp is remaining silent, but Labour sources have told The Independent that the health secretary is now expected to launch a leadership bid on Tuesday.
On Monday, Sir Keir vowed to fight on, saying his party would “be better and do better” and described Labour’s local election results as “tough”.
More than 80 Labour MPs are now calling for a change of leadership.
Key Points
- Starmer tells Cabinet he will continue governing
- First government minister resigns and calls on PM to quit
- Key Starmer ally suggests PM preparing timetable for departure
- Labour MPs on Wes Streeting watch as health secretary’s allies call for Starmer to quit
- Poll shows Burnham is only Labour alternative notable number of Brits prefer to Starmer
- Analysis: Starmer appears to be staring at the end of his premiership
- Reeves pulls out of City event as Starmer's leadership under fire
Cabinet minister urges colleagues to back Starmer
10:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneCabinet minister Steve Reed has urged Labour colleagues to back Sir Keir Starmer.
Writing on social media as the meeting was apparently ongoing, the Housing Secretary said: “This is not a game. This instability has consequences for people’s lives.
“The people who will be hurt most will be those that elected us less than two years ago. We must unite behind the prime minister.”
This is not a game. This instability has consequences for people’s lives. The people who will be hurt most will be those that elected us less than two years ago. We must unite behind the Prime Minister. https://t.co/7RkS4vM1pE
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedMP) May 12, 2026
Reeves pulls out of City event as Starmer's leadership under fire
10:19 , Nicole Wootton-CaneChancellor Rachel Reeves has pulled out of an event in the City of London on Tuesday morning, the Treasury has confirmed.
Ms Reeves was due to take part in a “fireside chat” with the Lady Mayor of London at the City’s global risks summit after attending Cabinet.
Her place will now be taken by Treasury minister Lucy Rigby.
It comes amid growing tensions in the Cabinet over Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership.
Unearthed photo shows PM and two key challenges as new MPs in 2015
10:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAn unearthed social media post from 2015 shows the prime minister sat beside two of the key figures believed to be challenging his leadership on Tuesday.
In the post, Sir Keir wrote: “Taking our seats for the 1st time @Catherinewest1 & @wesstreeting”.
Things look very different now. Catherine West said at the weekend that if a cabinet minister did not challenge Sir Keir as party leader by Monday, she would attempt to trigger a leadership contest herself.
She later backed down, but said the prime minister should lay out a timetable for his departure.
Health secretary Wes Streeting has so far remained tight-lipped on Sir Keir’s position, but is widely believed to be preparing to launch a leadership challenge against the prime minister.
Taking our seats for the 1st time @Catherinewest1 & @wesstreeting pic.twitter.com/eMlHKJleNr
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 13, 2015
Analysis: Keir Starmer has had his ‘put up or shut up’ moment
10:10 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Keir Starmer has this morning in essence told his senior ministers to either “put up or shut up” in a statement to open the most fraught Cabinet meeting of his 22 months as prime minister.
The “put up or shut up” challenge was famously made by John Major in the 1990s when his Tory government was unravelling and rivals were trying to replace him as prime minister.
Now, as scores of Labour MPs demand that he quits as party leader and prime minister, Sir Keir has told his cabinet the same thing.
He noted how “destabilising” the last 48 hours have been and pointed out that there are very specific rules to replace the leader.
That involves one or more of the contenders to find the backbone to actually stand against him.
The message was certainly being delivered to health secretary Wes Streeting who is poised to launch a bid and may well have been directed at energy secretary Ed Miliband and home secretary Shabana Mahmood as well. They all have pretentions to his crown.
The comments also apply to those outside the room including former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.
But what is clear is that the current situation cannot go on much longer with the prime minister no longer having the confidence of so many of his own MPs.
The gilt markets have already reacted to the instability pushing up the price of borrowing and until this is resolved it will only get worse with the country left in limbo.
Watch: Starmer tells cabinet 'I will not quit' after dozens of Labour MPs tell him to resign
10:05 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe medieval reason why the King’s speech cannot be cancelled
10:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
While Sir Keir Starmer may be about to resign as prime minister the planned King’s Speech for the state opening of parliament on Wednesday will still have to go ahead unedited.
The problem is that the speech is by tradition written on vellum (animal hide) and needs around three days for the ink to dry.
This means it cannot be redrafted or cancelled.
So even if Sir Keir quits today the programme for his government will have to be read out by King Charles as if he was going ahead with a new long session of parliament instead of waiting for the programme of whoever succeeds him.
The situation could add a farcical touch to the end of Starmer’s premiership and an indignity which may well annoy the monarch.
Starmer tells Cabinet he will continue governing
09:58 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe prime minister has told a meeting of the Cabinet: “As I said yesterday, I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised.
“The past 48 hours have been destabilising for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families.
“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered.
“The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a Cabinet.”
No leadership ballot has been triggered, Starmer tells Cabinet
09:51 , Nicole Wootton-CaneNo leadership ballot has been triggered, the prime minister has reportedly told Cabinet ministers this morning, as he attempts to put on a fighting front.
Reading out a text on Sky News, journalist Beth Rigby said Sir Keir has begun the meeting showing defiance and told ministers: “I will not quit”.
Analysis: First minister to quit is a significant moment
09:50 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Miatta Fahnbulleh has resigned as minister for devolution and told the prime minister to go.
This is a significant moment because while other members of the government quit last night they were at the most junior unpaid parliamentary private secretary (PPS) rank, colloquially known as “bag carriers”.
Ms Fahnbulleh was seen as a rising star in the government and one with ambitions for the future. So for her to believe that Sir Keir cannot be prime minister is a sign that the ambitious ministers are now abandoning ship.
Others are expected to follow her.
The other significant part of her resignation is that up until now the process has been driven by allies of Wes Streeting, the health secretary who is expected to launch a leadership bid.
But Ms Fahnbulleh is an ally of energy secretary Ed Miliband who has also been silent on supporting Starmer and is thought to be eyeing a bid himself.
MP says party needs 'change of direction' and calls on PM to quit
09:45 , Nicole Wootton-CanePaul Foster, Labour MP for South Ribble in Lancashire, urged Sir Keir Starmer to quit.
Writing on social media, he said: “Unfortunately, after much reflection, the prime minister’s speech yesterday did little to reassure me that he has the vision needed to reconnect with the country and rebuild public confidence under his leadership.
“We need a leader with the vision to take us into the next chapter; someone who can rebuild trust, reconnect with communities across the country and provide the sense of optimism and hope that people are crying out for, while delivering the change we promised in our manifesto.
“It pains me to say this because I am a loyal person by nature, and I do not come to this conclusion lightly. But it is with great regret that I believe the party now needs a change of direction and, ultimately, a new leader.”
— Paul Foster MP (@PaulFosterMP) May 12, 2026
Watch: Lammy waves at press as he arrives for Starmer's crunch cabinet meeting
09:40 , Nicole Wootton-CaneWhere we are at with the Cabinet split over Starmer
09:35 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Two senior cabinet ministers - home secretary Shabana Mahmood and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper - have told Sir Keir Starmer that he needs to lay out his timetable for departure.
But there is a split at the top table.
Deputy prime minister David Lammy, a longstanding friend of Sir Keir, is understood to have been a supportive voice in talking through the options while welfare secretary Pat McFadden and housing secretary Steve Reed have urged him to hold on.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones appears to be in the camp preferring that the prime minister dos not go.
But others are noticeably silent. Health secretary Wes Streeting’s supporters led the charge to get Sir Keir to quit and he is understood to be ready to launch a leadership bid.
Now allies of energy secretary Ed Miliband, a former leader, are pushing for Sir Keir to go as well. It is understood that Mr Miliband has already advised the prime minister that he needs to announce his exit plans.
Wes Streeting arrives at Downing Street
09:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneHealth secretary Wes Streeting has been pictured arriving at Downing Street this morning following speculation he will launch a leadership challenge against the prime minister.
While his camp have kept tight-lipped over his intentions, his allies suggest he is poised to challenge Sir Keir during today’s Cabinet meeting.
Junior minister resigns
09:21 , Nicole Wootton-CaneJunior minister Miatta Fahnbulleh has resigned and called on the prime minister to lay out a timetable for his resignation.
In a post on X, the Peckham MP wrote: “This morning I sent my letter of resignation to the Prime Minister.
“I urge the Prime Minister to do the right thing for the country and the Party and set a timetable for an orderly transition.”
This morning I sent my letter of resignation to the Prime Minister.
— Miatta Fahnbulleh (@Miatsf) May 12, 2026
I urge the Prime Minister to do the right thing for the country and the Party and set a timetable for an orderly transition. pic.twitter.com/u5UArjv7uR
In pictures: Cabinet ministers arrive at No 10
09:20 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Burnham is the only Labour alternative that a notable number of Brits think would do better than Starmer
09:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Andy Burnham is the only likely Labour alternative that a significant number of Britons think would do a better job than Sir Keir Starmer - but it would take him months to return to Westminster as an MP.
Asked who would do a better job than Sir Keir, a new YouGov poll found that just 34 per cent said Mr Burnham would - the most popular of the options.
In second place was Angela Rayner, with only 15 per cent saying she would do a better job than the prime minister. In joint third was Wes Streeting and Ed Miliband, both on 13 per cent.
Yvette Cooper and Shabana Mahmood were both on nine per cent, while David Lammy trailed behind on three.
John McDonnell accuses Wes Streeting of coup
09:05 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused Wes Streeting of launching a coup against Sir Keir Starmer, as a growing number of the health secretary's allies called for the PM to go.
Writing on social media, the left-wing MP said: “I called for time for serious discussion, no precipitous coup & fully democratic process if leadership election.
“Instead Wes Streeting has launched coup for fear of a democratic process & whilst candidates are blocked. Handing leadership to Mandelson’s protege is gift to Reform.”
Which cabinet members are backing Starmer?
09:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneReports suggest a number of Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet, including home secretary Shabana Mahmood, have called for his resignation.
But several of his closest allies are understood to be standing beside the prime minister.
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper was seen leaving Downing Street last night. It is understood she did not call for Sir Keir to set out a timetable for his resignation.
Housing secretary Steve Reed and work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden have also both said they believe the prime minister should fight on.
Deputy prime minister David Lammy and parliamentary secretary to the treasury Jonathan Reynolds are also reported to be by Sir Keir’s side.
Deputy prime minister waves as he arrives at Downing Street
08:55 , Nicole Wootton-CaneDeputy prime minister David Lammy waved at reporters as he walked down Downing Street into Number 10.
Journalists shouted questions but he did not answer as he got out of a car and walked down the street.
Darren Jones insists King's Speech will go ahead as planned
08:50 , Nicole Wootton-CaneDarren Jones insists the King's speech will go ahead as planned tomorrow, despite mounting chaos in the government amid calls for Sir Keir Starmer to resign.
"Just as far as I'm aware, the King's Speech is going ahead tomorrow. We've been working very hard to bring together a programme of bills for the next session that meets the challenges that we face as a country, and it's important that we get on with that", the chief secretary to the prime minister told Sky News.
Rachel Reeves arrives in Downing Street
08:43 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRachel Reeves has arrived in Downing Street ahead of a high-stakes Cabinet showdown on Tuesday morning.
She did not respond to questions from reporters as she entered No 11.
Pound under pressure as markets react to faltering premiership
08:37 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUK long-term borrowing costs have surged higher as Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership comes under increasing pressure.
The yield on 30-year UK government bonds – also known as gilts – jumped as much as 11 basis points to 5.785 per cent in Tuesday-morning trading, edging back up to within touching distance of the 28-year high recorded last week.
The yield on 10-year gilts also rose back above 5 per cent, lifting by 10 basis points to 5.101 per cent, but remains below recent highs reported last month.
Gilt yields move counter to the value of the bonds, meaning their prices fall when yields rise.
Rising yields on these bonds mean it costs more for governments to borrow from financial markets.
The pound also weakened further amid the UK political instability while stocks on the London market dropped sharply.
Sterling fell 0.5 per cent to 1.35 US dollars and was 0.2 per cent lower at 1.15 euro.
The FTSE 100 Index dropped more than 1 per cent in opening trade, later settling 95.57 points lower at 10173.86.
Starmer on the brink as he faces crunch cabinet meeting - live from Downing Street
08:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe prime minister is facing one of the most difficult days of his career this morning as a growing number of his own MPs call for his resignation.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest in this blog - and you can watch our livestream from Downing Street below:
Darren Jones dubs possibility of Burnham returning to Cabinet 'fantasy politics'
08:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Darren Jones said “there’s a lot of fantasy politics going on” when asked about the possibility of Andy Burnham returning to the Cabinet.
The chief secretary to the prime minister was asked if he could foresee a recognition that Cabinet could benefit from someone “with a lot of electoral support” like the Greater Manchester mayor.
Responding, he told BBC Breakfast: “There’s a lot of fantasy politics going on at the moment, Keir Starmer won a historic majority less than two years ago at the ballot box alongside all of us in the Labour Party.”
He told the programme that he spoke to Sir Keir on Monday night, adding that being prime minister “is a gruelling job” and “our job in Cabinet is to support the prime minister to deliver on his ambitions for the country, but also to enable him to do his job as well as possible”.
Analysis: Jones' muted performance was a death knell for Starmer
08:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Darren Jones is normally Sir Keir Starmer's main cheerleader. Whenever the prime minister finds himself in trouble, he sends his chief secretary out into the Commons or onto the airwaves to defend him. And typically, when a prime minister finds himself on the brink of resignation, the minister they sound out onto the morning broadcast round throws the kitchen sink at trying to defend them (and insist that they're not going anywhere).
But Darren Jones - for perhaps the first time in his broadcast round career - was muted. He admitted that he "is sad" more than five times in the space of thirty seconds, refused to say whether he thinks the PM will lead Labour into the next election and declined to answer when asked if he thinks Sir Keir should quit.
If that was the best the government had to offer when it comes to morale-boosting-cheerleaders this morning, its really not looking good for Starmer.
Minister suggests Starmer is preparing to set out timetable for his departure
08:05 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Darren Jones has suggested Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to set out a timetable for his departure, insisting he is "talking and listening" to colleagues who have called for him to go.
The PM's chief secretary told Times Radio: "The prime minister is talking to colleagues, obviously a number of them have said publicly yesterday that they want him to take a particular course of action. As any leader would, he's talking and listening to those colleagues. I can't get ahead of what the prime minister may or may not decide."
Asked directly whether he is considering setting out a timetable to step down before the next election, Mr Jones said: "He's listening to colleagues and he's talking to colleagues. As I say, I can't get ahead of any decision he may or may not take...It's for the prime minister to decide what he may or may not want to do in the future."
He added: "It's right for any leader to listen to members of their team if they want to express their views on these issues. And it's right that he's listening to them. I think it'd be worse if he wasn't."
Watch: Labour MP calls for Starmer's resignation: 'He has managed not led the country'
08:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneMinister denies Starmer's job is 'up for grabs'
07:54 , Nicole Wootton-CaneDarren Jones has denied the prime minister’s job is “up for grabs” as he defended Sir Keir Starmer this morning.
Asked on Times Radio if Sir Keir Starmer’s job was “up for grabs”, Mr Jones said: “No, and look, the vast majority of members of the Parliamentary Labour Party, of ministers, of members of the cabinet, are focused on getting to the office today and getting on with the job that we were elected to do.
“I appreciate that we had an awful set of election results last week and that many colleagues are hurting as a consequence of that. And it’s right that we have a conversation about the lessons to be learned there.
“But I would just say to my colleagues that we can have those conversations in private, we can agree a way forward … there’s a way to have these conversations and a way not to have them.”
Speaking about the job of prime minister, he added: “It’s a gruelling job. I think anybody who thinks that they can just walk into the job of prime minister and, like the second coming of the Messiah, fix all of our problems probably hasn’t really thought carefully enough about how difficult it is.”
Darren Jones declined to say whether he thinks Starmer should quit
07:46 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Cabinet minister Darren Jones declined to say whether he thinks Sir Keir Starmer should resign or not, insisting he won't "get into private conversations".
Asked what he thinks the prime minister should do as he faces mounting questions over his future, The chief secretary to the prime minister told Sky News: "Now, look, I'm not going to get into private conversations of other Cabinet colleagues. I wouldn't have been in the room for a number of them.
"I'd say at the front of my mind is that we're getting up and getting on with the job, because I think it's a dereliction of duty to do anything otherwise. And politics is a team sport. Politics is hard.
"We've got hard challenges in the country. We've had a hard set of results last Thursday, but we rise and fall together."
'I'm a bit sad to be honest', says minister
07:43 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Darren Jones has said he is "a bit sad" when asked about the situation in government.
Amid growing calls for Sir Keir Starmer to resign, the chief secretary to the prime minister told Sky News: "I'm a bit sad, to be honest, because I'm sad that we're in this situation in the first place.
"I'm sad about the election results last Thursday, when we lost many brilliant colleagues across the country, some of whom have served their local communities for many decades.
"So I'm sad that my team, my party has ended up with a poor set of results, and I'm sad that a number of colleagues yesterday have felt the need to have this conversation in public, as opposed to internally, within the within the party.
"So I am a bit sad about that, to be honest, but, but I'm also optimistic about the future, because we still we've only been in government now for less than two years.
"We had a very significant mandate at the last election to deliver on our manifesto commitments."
Minister refuses to say whether Starmer will lead Labour into next election
07:38 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Darren Jones has declined to say whether Sir Keir Starmer will lead Labour into the next election, saying he won't "get ahead of any decision" from the PM amid growing calls for him to resign.
The chief secretary to the prime minister also said he wouldn't "belittle" the 70 MPs who have raised concerns publicly over Sir Keir's leadership in the wake of the disastrous local elections, adding that the PM is "listening to them".
When asked if Sir Keir was going to lead Labour into the next election, Mr Jones told Sky News: “I’m not going to get ahead of any decision the PM may or may not take.
"He was very clear yesterday that he will not be walking away, as some of my colleagues have asked him to do. We've got over 400 Labour MPs in the House of Commons. I don't belittle the I think now 70 who have raised concerns publicly.
"All I would say is that the vast majority of us are focused on using the time we have in government to be able to deliver the types of change for people across the country that we're all so passionate about delivering."
He added: "The prime minister is getting on with the job... Obviously, colleagues are asking the prime minister to consider different options in the future, and as I say, he rightfully is listening to them. It would be wrong if he wasn't listening to them."
How would a leadership challenge work?
07:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSir Keir Starmer’s premiership is on the brink this morning as a growing number of his own MPs call on him to stand down.
But even if those calls were successful, there is no clear successor to the prime minister - meaning a leadership contest would be likely.
Speculation is rife regarding the ambitions of his former deputy, Angela Rayner, and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
Yet, Ms Rayner awaits the outcome of a review into her tax affairs, and Mr Burnham is not currently an MP.
Here is a look at how a potential Labour leadership contest could play out.
Starmer could face a Labour leadership challenge – how would it work?
Which Labour MPs want Starmer to quit?
07:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe number of Sir Keir Starmer’s own MPs who want the prime minister to stand down has now surpassed 70, it is understood.
These include Catherine West, who over the weekend said she would begin gathering names of those who have lost faith in the prime minister.
Also asking Sir Keir to set out a timetable for his resignation are home secretary Shabana Mahmood and veteran Labour MP Graham Stringer.
However, Labour have 403 MPs in the House of Commons, meaning only around one sixth of them have currently made their dissatisfaction with the prime minister public.
Cabinet ministers turn on Starmer and urge him to quit with Streeting ‘poised to launch leadership bid’
07:00 , Daniel HaygarthRead today’s front-page story as Keir Starmer faces a crunch cabinet meeting, with top ministers understood to have called for him to go.
What to expect today
06:30 , Dan HaygarthThe prime minister faces a crucial day as he holds a Cabinet meeting, with at least four ministers understood to have urged him to quit in the wake of dismal local election results.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood was among the ministers who have urged Sir Keir Starmer to quit ahead of a crunch meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday, The Independent understands, with the besieged prime minister’s premiership hanging in the balance.
As the number of Labour MPs calling for Sir Keir to go immediately or set a timetable for his departure passed 70 on Monday night, feverish speculation turned toward an expected leadership bid from health secretary Wes Streeting to be unveiled on Tuesday.
Amid the revolt, Sir Keir was also hit by the resignation of five ministerial aides, including Joe Morris, parliamentary private secretary for Mr Streeting.
Health minister Stephen Kinnock accepted some Cabinet members “may well” call on the prime minister to resign at their weekly meeting on Tuesday, when interviewed on BBC Newsnight.
Late on Monday it emerged that Ms Mahmood, who was appointed justice secretary and lord chancellor by Sir Keir two years ago, was among those in the Cabinet believed to have called on the prime minister to set out a timetable for his resignation.
How would a Labour leadership challenge work?
05:30 , Dan HaygarthSir Keir Starmer has insisted he will not quit as prime minister after a set of bruising local election results.
But he is coming under mounting pressure from Labour backbenchers to resign or set a timetable for his departure.
Here is a look at how a potential Labour leadership contest could play out.
How would a contest be kicked off?
There is no formal confidence vote procedure to oust a Labour leader.
Any challenger to Sir Keir would instead require the support of 81 MPs – 20 per cent of the party in the Commons – to trigger a contest.
Written nominations would need to be submitted to Labour general secretary Hollie Ridley.
In the case of a successful challenge, Sir Keir would be on the ballot by default as the incumbent and would not need to gather nominations.
If Sir Keir bows to pressure and resigns of his own accord, it would automatically start a contest for a new party leader.
Every Labour MP who’s demanded Starmer quit after local elections hammering
04:30 , Dan Haygarth
Every Labour MP who’s demanded Starmer quit after local elections hammering
Who are the ministerial aides who have quit or called for the PM to go?
03:30 , Dan HaygarthJoe Morris, a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to health secretary Wes Streeting, and Tom Rutland, a PPS to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, urged the Prime Minister to set out a timetable for his departure as they quit.
Cabinet Office aide Naushabah Khan and Melanie Ward, a PPS to Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, called for new leadership as they announced their resignations later on Monday.
Sally Jameson, an aide to home secretary Shabana Mahmood, has also joined the growing calls for Sir Keir to step aside from discontented MPs, who numbered 66 by Monday evening.
In a statement on social media, Ms Ward said: “Keir Starmer did important work to change the Labour Party, and governing in a time like this will never be easy.
“But the message from last week’s elections was clear; the Prime Minister has lost the confidence of the public to lead this change.”
Mr Morris said: “I have boundless confidence in the Labour Party and our ability to rise to this moment.
“However, regrettably, it is now clear that the Prime Minister no longer has the trust or confidence of the public to lead this change.”
Main parties' local election showing in numbers
01:30 , Dan HaygarthBased on full results from all 136 councils in England that held elections last week, Labour won 46 per cent of the seats it was defending, while the Conservatives won 65 per cent of the seats they were defending, according to Press Association analysis.
These figures are a comparison with how many seats the parties held just before the elections took place.
Using the same calculation, at last year’s local elections in England both Labour and the Tories won 33 per cent of the seats they were defending.
Reform UK won 30 per cent of the seats in which it stood candidates this year, while the Greens won 13 per cent.
Last year Reform won 42 per cent of the seats it contested and the Greens won 7 per cent.
Watch: Health Minister says members of PMs Cabinet "may well" tell the PM to resign
Tuesday 12 May 2026 00:30 , Daniel HaygarthFull story: Cabinet ministers turn on Starmer and urge him to quit with Streeting ‘poised to launch leadership bid’
Monday 11 May 2026 23:20 , Dan HaygarthPM has 'never been an electoral asset', MP says as he joins calls for resignation
Monday 11 May 2026 23:04 , Dan HaygarthJonathan Hinder, Labour MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, has joined the growing number of MPs calling for Sir Keir Starmer to resign, adding that the prime minister “has never been an electoral asset”.
Speaking on BBC’s Newsnight, Mr Hinder said: “The blunt reality is, and every single Labour MP will tell you this, he has never been an electoral asset.
“Our best electoral asset was the unpopularity of the Conservatives and the fact that Reform split their vote and that is why I’m sat here today, most of all, but I don’t underestimate the amount of work he did.
“I think he’s in it for the right reasons. I know his team worked incredibly hard, like we all did, to get us here, but we have to face the facts now.”
He added: “We need a new leader for the Labour Party and our country, most importantly, needs a new leader.”
After resignations, the government has appointed six new parliamentary private secretaries
Monday 11 May 2026 22:50 , Dan HaygarthThe following PPS appointments have been made:
David Burton-Sampson – Department for Health and Social Care
Linsey Farnsworth MP – Ministry of Justice
Jayne Kirkham MP – Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Michael Payne MP – Home Office
Tim Roca MP – Department for Work and Pensions
Sean Woodcock MP – Cabinet Office
Leader: Labour is giving us a psychodrama that absolutely nobody wants
Monday 11 May 2026 22:39 , The IndependentEditorial: As more than 60 MPs call on Keir Starmer to quit, the party must look to its PM, roll up its sleeves and get on with the hard work of delivering for the UK rather than engaging in more unnecessary infighting. Read below:
Labour is giving us a psychodrama that absolutely nobody wants
Recap: Who has resigned and who has called for the prime minister to quit?
Monday 11 May 2026 22:21 , Dan HaygarthFour Government aides have resigned and more than 60 backbench MPs have called on the prime minister to quit following Labour’s heavy defeats in the local elections.
Here, the Press Association looks at who has called for Sir Keir Starmer to go or given up their position in Government:
– Joe Morris
A parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Mr Morris was among the first to resign their position, calling on Sir Keir to set out a “swift timetable” to step aside.
In a message posted on social media, the MP for Hexham, Northumberland, wrote: “The message from last week’s elections was clear: the prime minister has lost the confidence of the public.”
He added: “It is in the best interests of the country and the party that the prime minister sets out a swift timetable to ensure that a new leader is in place to regain the confidence of the public and to ensure that the government can deliver on the commitments it has made.”
Mr Streeting has widely been seen as a potential successor to the prime minister – with his allies pointing to results in his local authority, Redbridge, to show that he can retain the Westminster seat he holds with a majority of just 528.
– Tom Rutland
Mr Rutland resigned as PPS to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, saying the prime minister had “lost authority” and “will not be able to regain it”.
In his statement posted on social media, the MP for East Worthing and Shoreham said: “It is with regret that I believe the prime minister should now set out a timetable for his departure and for a new leader to be chosen to lead the Labour Party and the country.”
Mr Rutland added: “It is clear to me that the prime minister has lost authority not just within the Parliamentary Labour Party but across the country and that he will not be able to regain it.”
– Melanie Ward
The MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy in Scotland, Ms Ward resigned from her position as PPS to deputy prime minister David Lammy – saying Sir Keir had “lost the confidence of the public”.
In a statement on X, Ms Ward said: “So many of my constituents told me that they could not vote Labour as long as Keir Starmer remains Prime Minister.”
She added: “Keir Starmer did important work to change the Labour Party, and governing in a time like this will never be easy.
“But the message from last week’s elections was clear; the Prime Minister has lost the confidence of the public.”
Mr Lammy previously rallied around the prime minister to defend his premiership, saying his “mandate” must be delivered.
– Naushabah Khan
Ms Khan, the MP for Gillingham and Rainham, resigned from her position as PPS to the Cabinet Office – calling for “new leadership”.
In a statement on X, Ms Khan said: “The message from last week’s elections was clear: the Prime Minister has lost the confidence of the public.”
She added: “We need a clear change of direction now and no game playing. A Labour Government can and will rise to meet the moment if we act now.
“I am calling for new leadership, so that we can rebuild trust and deliver the better future that the British people voted for.”
– Catherine West
Ms West previously said she would challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership as early as Monday afternoon, in an attempt to force the Cabinet to put forward a replacement as prime minister.
The MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet withdrew threats to imminently launch a leadership challenge ahead of the prime minister’s speech on Monday, but went on to write a letter urging him to step aside that was signed by 80 MPs, PA understands.
– Backbench MPs
A growing number of backbench MPs have called for Sir Keir to resign as Prime Minister, including Richard Burgon, John McDonnell and Sally Jameson, an aide to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Ms Jameson, MP for Doncaster Central, said Sir Keir “is a man of deep integrity” but said she now feels he should “set out a clear timetable for his departure in September or shortly after”.
More than 70 backbench MPs had publicly called for the prime minister to resign by Monday evening.
Sean O"Grady: Unfashionable as it is to say, Starmer’s speech was quietly impressive
Monday 11 May 2026 22:00 , Dan HaygarthIthought Labour was going to stop the psychodramas. No such luck. We’re now in for many months more of the Labour version – every bit as angsty as the Tory sagas. The latest overhyped instalment, however, was a slight anticlimax.
Enter the prime minister. Jacket discarded, tie off, sleeves up. Was Keir Starmer getting on with the job – or fighting for his political life?
Both, as he clearly knew. I don’t know who billed this as a “make-or-break speech”, but it was a poorly chosen venue in any case. And a few people seemed to have missed the memo. Here he was, in a smallish white room in London, harshly overlit, apparently abandoned by his cabinet colleagues – none of whom were in the front room, nor probably for miles around.
He’s no Winston Churchill, as someone once said, but he’s trying. “We are not just facing dangerous times, but dangerous opponents. Very dangerous opponents,” he said, scouring the front row for them.
He was flanked only by Lucy Powell, the deputy leader of the party, whom he didn’t even want doing the job in the first place. Everyone knows the only reason she had turned up was because, if Starmer fell now, her friend and colleague Andy Burnham wouldn’t be able to succeed him.
Read on:
Unfashionable as it is to say, Starmer’s speech was quietly impressive
Breaking: Cabinet members, including Shabana Mahmood, told Sir Keir he needs to resign
Monday 11 May 2026 21:57 , David Maddox & Dan HaygarthThe Independent understands at least four cabinet members, including home secretary Shabana Mahmood, have already told Sir Keir he needs to resign, before the crunch weekly meeting tomorrow.
It comes after the the health minister has said that members of Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet “may well” tell him to resign on Tuesday.
More than 70 MPs have now publicly urged the prime minister to resign or set out a timetable for his departure, whilst four have quit as ministerial aides following a poor performance in the local elections.
Appearing on Newsnight, Stephen Kinnock said that Sir Keir may be asked to step down when cabinet members meet for their weekly meeting on Tuesday.
“It is clear for everybody to see that a lot of people are either coming out and calling for Keir to resign or whatever it might be, and it is possible that members of the Cabinet might do that”, he said.
Home Office minister calls for stability and warns Labour colleagues against leadership race
Monday 11 May 2026 21:46 , Daniel HaygarthThis is a serious moment for our country. pic.twitter.com/jIjSndK1yi
— Mike Tapp MP (@MikeTappTweets) May 11, 2026
Labour is 'bigger than one person'
Monday 11 May 2026 21:32 , Dan HaygarthMaureen Burke, the Labour MP for Glasgow North East, has joined the growing number of discontented MPs calling for Sir Keir Starmer to step down, saying her party is “bigger than one person”.
In a statement posted on X on Monday evening, she said: “When I see communities like mine, in Glasgow North East, turn against the Labour Party in such numbers, we must seek to understand why and refocus our efforts to win back their trust.
“Despite two decades of SNP failure, people were reluctant to give Labour a hearing and told me that they could not, in good faith, vote Labour while Keir Starmer is prime minister.
“Our party owes Keir a debt of gratitude for his leadership, but we are bigger than one person.
“With a heavy heart, I am calling on the prime minister to set out a timetable for his departure and for our party to have a period of reflection with any and all candidates willing to have the chance to put themselves forward.”
Warirngton South's MP joins Warrington North's in calling for PM to go
Monday 11 May 2026 21:07 , Dan HaygarthA statement. pic.twitter.com/J8BtB5jjjS
— Sarah Hall MP (@Sarah_Hall81) May 11, 2026
'Too many mistakes have been made', MP says as he joins calls for PM to resign
Monday 11 May 2026 21:06 , Dan HaygarthThe Labour MP for Gloucester said he has added his name to the letter calling for the Prime Minister to resign, saying “too many mistakes have been made”.
Alex McIntyre said in a post on Facebook that the prime minister “does not have the backing of the country to deliver the change that people voted for” and the Government needs to “change course”.
“I have tonight, with regret, added my name to the letter calling for a change of leadership of the Labour Party and the country,” he said.
“I am proud of many of the changes we have made in Government, but too many mistakes have been made.
“Central among these was the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson to a role he was unfit for. This decision was simply at odds with what we should strive for in society and in our public life, where victims should be supported and perpetrators held accountable.
“Over recent weeks, countless conversations I’ve had with constituents, plus the results from last week’s elections, can only tell me one thing. The Prime Minister does not have the backing of the country to deliver the change that people voted for. The change that we desperately need.
“There is no way around it, our country is facing unprecedented challenges. Gloucester residents deserve leadership that can meet those challenges. Having listened closely to the Prime Minister’s speech today, I do not believe he is the person to lead that effort. I want to look my constituents in the eye when I talk to them on the doorstep and say with honesty that we have the right person leading us through such difficult times. Right now I cannot do that.
“I still believe that a Labour Government will rise to meet this moment, defeat the divisive politics of the far left and far right and deliver the brighter future that Gloucester residents deserve. To do that we have to change course, fight for our values and ultimately give the country a leader who can deliver.”
Members of the cabinet 'may well' tell the PM to resign, minister says
Monday 11 May 2026 21:03 , Dan HaygarthStephen Kinnock, health Minister, said “they may well do” when asked on Newsnight whether members of the cabinet may tell Keir Starmer to tell him to stand down at their meeting tomorrow.
Stephen Kinnock, Health Minister, tells #Newsnight members of Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet "may well" tell the PM to resign at their weekly meeting tomorrow morning. pic.twitter.com/6dVzEpgFyy
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) May 11, 2026
Another MP calls on Starmer to resign, says 'the public don’t have confidence' in him
Monday 11 May 2026 20:52 , Dan Haygarth
Charlotte Nichols has said she does not have confidence in Sir Keir Starmer as she joined the scores of Labour MPs calling for him to resign.
Asked on LBC if she had confidence in the prime minister, the MP for Warrington North said she did not.
She said: “We’re in fairly uncharted territory at the moment but you know, it’s something that in my constituency and constituencies in other parts of the country that I’ve been out in.
“The message has been clear for some time that actually the public don’t have confidence in Keir Starmer.
“And if we’re listening to the country, as we say that we are, I think that we’re duty bound to do something about that.”
Asked if she was going to be in the “list” of MPs calling for the Labour leader to resign, she said: “I suppose I am.”
80 MPs sign Catherine West's letter, PA reports
Monday 11 May 2026 20:47 , Dan HaygarthEighty MPs have signed Catherine West’s letter calling for Sir Keir Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure, the Press Association understands.
Most of these have publicly called for the prime minister to stand down, it is understood.
