Sir Keir Starmer is fighting to stay on as prime minister, as he stares down calls for Labour critics, including some of his own ministers, to quit Downing Street.
It comes amid a revolt among Labour MPs and calls from ministers for him to draw up an exit timetable after a disastrous set of elections last week.
Here is a summary of what is happening.
What’s happening today?
What’s the mood in the party?
- Nearly 80 Labour MPs have publicly urged Sir Keir to resign immediately or draw up an exit timetable
- Miatta Fahnbulleh, a communities minister, earlier become the first member of the government to resign
- Along with Streeting, former deputy PM Angela Rayner is seen as the most likely challenger to Sir Keir among Labour MPs
- Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham also has support – but would need to become an MP to stand for leader, requiring a more drawn-out contest
How did we get here?
- The prime minister gave a hastily-convened speech on Monday in a bid to shore up his position
- But the move seems to have backfired, with the number of Labour MPs calling on him to go rising steadily in the hours afterwards
- The revolt among MPs follows a disastrous set of elections for Labour last week, where it lost almost 1,500 councillors in local elections across England
- It was also kicked out of power in Wales and slumped to its worst ever result at a Scottish Parliament election
- The elections had been billed as a key test for Sir Keir’s leadership amid dire poll ratings and the row over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, which has led some MPs to question his judgement.
Keir Starmer
Labour Party
