Sir Keir Starmer is currently at Chequers, his official country residence, as he contemplates his political future amid mounting pressure following a turbulent week for his leadership. Despite public statements rejecting calls to step down, Starmer faces significant internal dissent within the Labour Party after a series of events have cast serious doubt on his ability to maintain his position as leader.
The turmoil began in the aftermath of the May 7 local elections, which Labour performed poorly in. On Monday, Starmer gave what many described as a pivotal speech intended to stabilize his premiership. However, the address was widely seen as ineffective, leading to an immediate wave of criticism from within his own ranks. Dozens of Labour MPs publicly called for his resignation. Reports emerged that three senior cabinet members, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, privately urged Starmer to outline a timetable for his departure—a revelation that caused disruption at Downing Street.
On Tuesday, the prime minister attempted to maintain control by focusing cabinet discussions on international issues and the domestic cost-of-living crisis, explicitly refusing to entertain questions about his position. However, dissatisfaction came to a head on Wednesday during a private meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting. Streeting conveyed his loss of confidence in Starmer’s leadership and warned that he intended to challenge for the party’s leadership if Starmer did not resign. Later that day, it was disclosed that Streeting was preparing to resign from the government to mount a leadership bid.
Although Streeting ultimately did not enter the contest, he resigned from the frontbench on Thursday, issuing a scathing letter accusing Starmer of lacking vision and direction and blaming him for placing responsibility unfairly on others. The departure was greeted with temporary relief by some in Downing Street but quickly overshadowed by further developments.
That same evening, Josh Simons stood down as the Labour MP for Makerfield, triggering a by-election scheduled for June 18. The vacancy paves the way for Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and a prominent Labour figure, to potentially re-enter Westminster. Burnham, having defeated former UKIP leader Nigel Farage in previous contests, is widely seen as a formidable contender to replace Starmer, contingent on winning the Makerfield seat amid Reform Party’s strong showing in recent local elections.
Senior Labour figures remain sharply divided over Starmer’s future. Some ministers consider the election results and recent events proof that Starmer has lost the confidence of both the public and the party. One minister described the situation as a choice between Burnham or Streeting as the next leader. Others believe an immediate leadership contest would be harmful and advocate for an orderly transition orchestrated by Starmer, should he choose to step down.
Meanwhile, Starmer and his closest allies express a sense of betrayal over leaks revealing calls from senior colleagues for his departure shortly after private discussions. Despite this fissure, the prevailing consensus among many Labour MPs is that his leadership is no longer sustainable.
As Starmer remains in office, his capacity to control the direction of the party or his own political future appears increasingly constrained. Observers compare the current impasse to the final, fraught months of Gordon Brown’s premiership. Party insiders suggest that a critical decision lies ahead: whether Starmer will attempt to see out the upcoming by-election or resign sooner, returning the Labour leadership to the party’s internal mechanisms.