UK Labour ministers resign and MPs push for Starmer to go after last week’s election defeat, as No 10 tries to steady government.

UK Labour party in chaos over future of British prime minister The UK Labour Party has descended into open division over Keir Starmer’s future, as four ministers resigned and joined at least 80 MPs urging him to quit, while more than 100 others warned against a leadership contest.Prominent MP Jess Phillips was among the junior ministers to exit Mr Starmer’s government, piling pressure on him to go.The Labour leader vowed to fight on at Tuesday’s

cabinet meeting, and was publicly backed by several loyal ministers.A statement understood to have been signed by more than 100 Labour MPs, and not organised by Downing Street, urged colleagues to come together behind the prime minister.“We must focus on that.. This is no time for a leadership contest,” the statement said.But at least 83 out of Labour’s 403 MPs have demanded Mr Starmer’s departure after the party’s electoral mauling last week, passing the threshold

to trigger a leadership contest but without meeting the condition that they all line up behind a single challenger.In a letter reported by Sky News, Ms Phillips said: “I want to start by first saying that we have worked closely together on Violence Against Women and Girls for many years and I have no doubt you have genuine knowledge and desire to rectify this dreadful social ill.. We have started to make steps towards change

whilst in government and I have been grateful for your support.“However, it would be remiss of me not to say that real change and direction in this area usually came from threats made by me in light of catastrophic mistakes.. The Mandelson saga whenever it bubbled up made Number 10 kick into gear on the subject in order to prove our credentials.. I will never waste a crisis to make advancements for women and girls

and so demands were made and some were met.“I think you are a good man fundamentally, who cares about the right things however I have seen first-hand how that is not enough.. The desire not to have an argument means we rarely make an argument, leaving opportunities for progress stalled and delayed.”Junior health minister Zubir Ahmed, an ally of leadership hopeful Wes Streeting, followed her out of the door on Tuesday afternoon, citing a “lack

of values-driven leadership” and saying the public has “irretrievably lost confidence in you as prime minister”.Alex Davies-Jones, believed to be a supporter of health secretary Mr Streeting, also quit the Home Office, saying there had been a lack of “bold, radical action”.Resigning housing minister Miatta Fahnbulleh, an ally of energy secretary Ed Miliband, said the public had lost trust in Mr Starmer because of issues such as the scrapping of the winter fuel payment.Mr Starmer

earlier defied calls for him to vacate No 10, telling his cabinet the country “expects us to get on with governing” and “that is what I am doing”.He avoided being directly challenged as he declined to discuss his leadership during Tuesday’s gathering or meet critics individually afterwards, the Press Association understands.According to Downing Street, Mr Starmer told his 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.”The meeting was expected to be fraught, with some ministers said to be

joining calls for Mr Starmer to go.Earlier, housing, communities and local government Ms Fahnbulleh told Mr Starmer “to do the right thing for the country and the party and set a timetable for an orderly transition”.In a statement posted on X, Ms Fahnbulleh said: “The message on the doorstep was clear: you, prime minister, have lost the trust and confidence of the public.“Our country faces enormous challenges and people are crying out for the scale

of change that this requires.“The public does not believe that you can lead this change – and nor do I.“Therefore, I urge you to do the right thing for the country and the party and set a timetable for an orderly transition so that a new team can deliver the change we promised the country.”And one of Mr Starmer’s closest aides declined to say whether he would lead his party into the next general election.Cabinet

minister Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Mr Starmer, said: “I’m not going to get ahead of any decision the PM may or may not take.”In a speech on Monday meant to set out UK Labour’s response to last week’s disastrous local election results, Mr Starmer said he would prove his doubters wrong as he vowed to carry on in office.But the speech triggered an avalanche of party backbenchers publicly calling for Mr Starmer

to go, including a number of junior ministerial aides who resigned to do so.Downing Street announced the appointment of six new ministerial aides on Monday night to replace those who had resigned.All eyes will be on whether Ms Fahnbulleh’s departure prompts similar moves by ministerial colleagues, potentially triggering a wave of resignations similar to the exodus that led to Tory premier Boris Johnson’s downfall.Senior ministers are split over how best to move forward, with home

secretary Shabana Mahmood and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper reportedly among those to have told Mr Starmer to consider his position.But British housing secretary Steve Reed warned against the chaos of a leadership change, writing on X: “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.”The cost of

long-term government borrowing surged to a fresh 28-year high and the pound weakened on Tuesday morning amid the uncertainty about the prime minister’s future, although market moves eased slightly after Mr Starmer said he intended to fight on.Meanwhile, chancellor Rachel Reeves pulled out of an event she was due to speak at on Tuesday morning in the City of London.Doubts about Mr Starmer’s future have sparked speculation about possible successors, with some looking to Mr

Streeting while others are preferring a longer timetable to allow Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to return to parliament and enter any contest.Sophie Wingate and Christopher McKeon, PA

Keir Starmer, Labour leadership contest, Wes Streeting, No 10 crisis, Labour MPs resignations, UK politics