Sir Keir Starmer Starmer spent Friday (June 19) scrambling to gauge support from senior Cabinet ministers as pressure over his future intensified, only to find backing within his top team starting to fade. The Prime Minister personally called a small group of ministers as calls grew louder for him to step aside following Andy Burnham Andy Burnham’s shock win in Makerfield on Thursday.
“He was reaching out to people who, just two months ago, he believed were firmly on side but who may now be wavering,” a Government source told The Telegraph. But rather than rally behind the Labour leader, several Cabinet ministers are believed to have urged him to set a clear timeline for his departure. “More Cabinet ministers than not told him he needs to set out a timetable,” a source said. Among those reportedly pushing for clarity was Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander Heidi Alexander, while Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper Yvette Cooper is also said to have pressed Sir Keir to resign.
“As a result of the list of names and the shaky round of calls, Keir will realise the game is up, and the next few days will be about protecting his legacy,” the source claimed.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Rachel Reeves remains one of the few senior Cabinet figures still publicly backing the Prime Minister as speculation around his future grows. Sir Keir is understood to be spending the weekend with his family while deciding whether he still has enough support to carry on.
The pressure comes after Labour’s defeat in Makerfield, a result Burnham supporters believe has completely changed the leadership race. Even by Saturday night, 10 Downing Street Downing Street was still insisting Sir Keir would stay and fight any challenge.
One Burnham-supporting Labour MP told The Telegraph: “A lot of Starmer backers and Wes Streeting Wes Streeting supporters who’ve seen the scale of this result are now quickly trying to jump on board. It’s the herd moving.”
They added: “A lot of newly elected MPs want to meet Andy. He’ll be meeting people across the parliamentary Labour Party in the coming days.”
“I hope he [Sir Keir] makes an announcement on Monday and steps down by conference,” a Government figure said, referring to the party conference due in late September.
One loyalist MP said: “I think if Keir holds firm, there’s a real chance Andy could implode and, at best, reach the finish line badly damaged.”
The chaos comes as grim new polling suggests public confidence in the Labour leader has taken a serious hit. An Opinium survey of more than 2,000 adults found 55% believe Sir Keir should resign as Labour leader, while just 25% think he should stay. The poll also gave the Prime Minister a net favourability rating of -42.
