British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer has told his Cabinet that he “will not quit,” mounting a defiant defence of his leadership as Labour’s internal crisis deepened and calls for his resignation climbed to more than 80 MPs.
The dramatic declaration came during a tense Cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street on Tuesday, described by observers as the most serious challenge of Starmer’s 22 months in office.
The high-stakes gathering followed a wave of resignations, open rebellion from Labour MPs and growing speculation that Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, is preparing to launch a leadership bid.
The turmoil intensified when Miatta Fahnbulleh resigned as Minister for Devolution and publicly urged Starmer to set out a timetable for an “orderly transition.”
Her departure marked a significant escalation in the crisis. Unlike the Parliamentary Private Secretaries who resigned earlier, Fahnbulleh was a junior minister and widely regarded as one of Labour’s emerging talents.
Her resignation also signalled that dissatisfaction with Starmer had spread beyond Streeting’s allies to figures aligned with other influential Cabinet members, including Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
During the Cabinet meeting, Starmer sought to project authority and challenge his critics directly.
“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 the government, and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families.”
Keir Starmer
He noted that, the Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered, adding, “The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a Cabinet.”
The remarks echoed former Conservative Prime Minister John Major’s famous “put up or shut up” challenge to rivals, effectively daring would-be challengers to formally contest his leadership rather than undermine him from behind the scenes.
Moreover, Starmer’s allies warned that the uncertainty was already unsettling financial markets, with government borrowing costs reportedly rising as investors reacted to the growing instability.
Starmer Holds Firm Despite Growing Calls for New Labour Leader
Earlier, Starmer vowed to fight on, acknowledging the results were “tough” and insisted that Labour would “be better and do better.”
However, his speech failed to halt the rebellion. Among those calling for a change in leadership was South Ribble MP Paul Foster, who noted that the prime minister’s response had not convinced him.
“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.”
Paul Foster
He further indicated that, “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.”
Despite the growing unrest, several Cabinet ministers publicly rallied behind Starmer after Tuesday’s meeting.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed has urged colleagues to close ranks. He noted, “This is not a game. This instability has consequences for people’s lives.”
“The people who will be hurt most will be those who elected us less than two years ago. We must unite behind the prime minister.”
Steve Reed
Moreover, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said no Cabinet member challenged Starmer during the meeting and insisted the prime minister retained broad support.
Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, has also offered a strong endorsement, stating, “The prime minister talked about the challenges we faced as a country, the crisis in the Middle East and the impact on the cost of living here.”
“And look, this government will do what we were elected to do, which is serve the British people. The prime minister has my full support in this.”
Also, Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, has praised the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, for showing “really steadfast leadership.”
With no formal leadership challenge yet triggered, Starmer remains in office. But with resignations mounting, Cabinet divisions exposed and rival camps preparing for a possible contest, Labour now faces one of the most consequential internal battles in its recent history.
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