The Labor Party is in the middle of a series of election results curses. At the time of writing, the party has lost almost 900 councillors, it no longer holds power in the Welsh Senedd and has been almost wiped out by Reform in some areas of the North West.
Labor MPs are furious. As a result, many have begun to question Keir Starmer’s position. After such a damaging set of elections, can the party continue on this path? Or, to avoid oblivion, is the question of a change of leadership now becoming inevitable?
Here it is New Statesman’s tracker of those who have publicly called for Starmer to step down:
1. John McDonnell
McDonnell told LBC “we could lose the Labor party” under the leadership of Keir Starmer.
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2. Ian Lavery
Lavery told the BBC: “Keir Hardie started the Labor Party… It could be another Keir – Keir Starmer – that could end the party for good.”
3. Jonathan Brash
Brash repeated his previous call for the resignation of the Prime Minister in an interview with GB News.
4. Clive Lewis
Lewis said in a statement at X that Starmer must set a time frame for his departure.
5. Louise Haigh
Come on told ITV that Starmer cannot lead Labor into another election.
6. Graham Stringer
Stringer said: “I don’t think he can fight the next election if the Labor Party wants to survive.”
7. Conor Naismith
Naismith said in a statement: “In the wake of these disastrous local election results, it is regrettably clear to me that we need new leadership.”
8. Anneliese Midgley
Middle said it is clear the prime minister cannot lead Labor into another election and called on him to set a timetable for his departure.
9. Richard Burgon
Burgon said in a statement: “It is clear that Keir has fought his last election as Labor leader and, deep down, he will know it. The party must now work towards a timetable for an orderly transition to a new leader by the end of this year.”
10. Simon Opher
Opher said in a statement: “The Prime Minister cannot take our party into the next general election. We owe it to our members, our elected representatives and the country to put pride and ambition aside.”
11. Olivia Blake
Blake said: The Prime Minister “needs to think about his position” and that there must be a “proper plan” for a post-Starmer Labor party.
12. Sarah Owen
Owen said: “If Keir Starmer doesn’t bring about tangible change and really connect with the public on a human level, he can’t take us to another election (locally or nationally). People want politics and politicians who are progressive and true to their values.”
13. David Baines
Baines told BBC News that Starmer is not the right person to lead Labor into the next general election.
14. Paula Barker
In a statement, Barker called on the prime minister to set a timeline for his resignation.
15. Ian Byrne
In a statement, Byrne said the prime minister should set a timeline for his departure.
16. Apsana Begum
In a statement to X, Begum said the party needs to change “both leadership and policy”.
17. Neil Duncan-Jordan
In a statement, Duncan-Jordan said: “We promised to do politics differently, but everything now looks tainted and bleak. All those in charge need to seriously consider their positions.”
18. Chris Hinchliff
In a statement, Hinchliff called on the Prime Minister to resign.
19. Kim Johnson
Johnson told LBC: “I personally don’t think Keir will lead us at the next election. Who will that person be? We don’t know.”
20. Ruth Jones
Jones told Times Radio: “I think the Prime Minister needs to consider his position.”
21. Andy McDonald
McDonald said in a statement: “We need a change of leadership coupled with a change of policy – for a radical economic vision, with better incomes and higher living standards.”
22. Kate Osborne
Osborne said in a social media post: “Keir must resign.”
23. Jon Trickett:
Trickett told the BBC: “The message from my constituency is that it’s curtains for Keir.”
24. Nadia Whittome
In a statement, Whittome said: “I believe the Prime Minister should announce a timetable for his departure.”
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