Political pressure is intensifying on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after growing divisions within the Labour government emerged over calls for him to set a timetable for his resignation.
According to reports, Shabana Mahmood is among several cabinet ministers privately urging Starmer to outline a departure plan amid mounting unrest inside the parliamentary party. However, the cabinet is understood to be deeply divided, with Mahmood reportedly in the minority among senior ministers.
The crisis escalated after four Labour MPs resigned from their roles as ministerial aides and publicly joined demands for new leadership within the party. By late Monday evening, the BBC reported that at least 71 Labour MPs had either called for Starmer to resign immediately or urged him to announce a timeline for stepping down.
That figure represents a significant bloc within Labour’s 403-member parliamentary caucus and highlights growing anxiety about the party’s direction and electoral future.
Despite the backlash, Starmer has resisted calls to quit, insisting earlier in the day that he would prove “doubters” wrong. While acknowledging mistakes made by his government, he argued that Labour had still made “the big political choices right.”
Labour MP Catherine West also softened her stance after previously threatening to trigger a formal leadership challenge. Although she stopped short of taking immediate action, she called on Starmer to leave office by September.
Meanwhile, Number 10 Downing Street moved quickly to replace six parliamentary private secretaries who either resigned or publicly criticized the prime minister’s leadership. The replacements were announced late Monday night in an effort to stabilize government operations ahead of what is expected to be a highly tense cabinet meeting.
Among those appointed were:
• David Burton-Sampson at the Department for Health and Social Care
• Linsey Farnsworth at the Ministry of Justice
• Jayne Kirkham at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Michael Payne at the Home Office
• Tim Roca at the Department for Work and Pensions
• Sean Woodcock at the Cabinet Office
BBC political editor Chris Mason described the situation as one of the most serious cabinet divisions possible, with ministers now openly questioning whether Starmer should remain prime minister.
A crucial cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday is expected to determine whether Starmer can maintain authority over his government or face an intensified push to step aside.