'He needs to go': Leeds MPs call for Keir Starmer's resignation as pressure mounts on Prime Minister

Leeds MPs have called for Sir Keir Starmer to resign as pressure mounts on the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister’s woes deepened on Tuesday morning as the first minister resigned from his Government and urged him to go, and as the number of Labour MPs telling him to set out a timetable for his departure grew to 75.

It comes following the dreadful local election results last week, which saw Labour lose its majority share of Leeds City Council.

Among those calling for his departure are the MP for Leeds East, Richard Burgon, who has been a frequent critic of Starmer’s policies and leadership.

Mr Burgon said: “I’ve been clear that Keir Starmer should resign because the defeat in Leeds and across the country had his name written all over it, and if we want to prevent a Reform government then (he) needs to go.

“Keir Starmer should set out a timetable now to stand down by the end of the year because what we can’t afford to have is a kind of palace coup or cabinet or parliamentary Labour party stitch-up that results in the coronation of Wes Streeting.”

He said that he didn’t feel that anybody from Starmer’s cabinet would be a suitable candidate, as they had been “tainted” by their association to him.

“Anybody who’s been in Keir’s top team is implicated in the unpopular decisions in relation to the winter fuel payments, disability cuts, the approach to Israel’s war on Gaza.

“Anybody who’s been tainted by the scandals around freebies or Mandelson - they can’t turn this around. The public needs to understand that this is a fresh start and whoever the new leader is needs to start off by apologising for the mistakes of the last two years and promising that the public are now going to get the change they voted for in the 2024 General Election. Anyone who’s been in Keir’s cabinet can’t do that with any credibility.”

He continued: “We don’t want to end up like the Conservatives changing leader again and again and again. We can only do this once and we need to get this right, which is why the PM should set out a timetable for his departure by the end of the year which allows a full and democratic process that involves all wings of the Labour Party.”

Mr Burgon added that the mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham, who has been regarded as a suitable leader of the party, should not be blocked from taking part in the election process, adding: “It was outrageous that he was blocked in the Gorton and Denton by-election and that’s why we lost there.

“It was wrong and that’s been the kind of approach we’ve seen; that anybody who has a different view in the Labour Party is seen as a threat and blocked.”

Asked what was weighing on getting the leadership of the party right before the next general election, Mr Burgon said: “For those of us who don’t want to end up with a Trump-style government in the UK headed by Nigel Farage, it’s important that the Labour Party has a real change in direction and not just a change in leader.”

Elsewhere, the MP for Leeds central and Headingley Alex Sobel posted following the elections, which saw the ousting of the deputy mayor Jonathan Pryor in his ward, saying: “Too often during this election we heard people say their vote wasn’t about councillors or the council, but about national politics and the leadership of the Labour Party. It feels important to recognise the brilliant local representatives who have paid the price for that, despite everything they’ve done for their areas.”

He and other local MPs have been contacted this morning for their stance on Keir Starmer’s premiership.

The Prime Minister has rejected the calls for him to quit, telling a meeting of his Cabinet that the country “expects us to get on with governing” and “that is what I am doing”.

According to Downing Street, Sir Keir told his Cabinet: “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 government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families.

“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered.

“The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a Cabinet.”

Labour and Co-operative MP Alex Sobel has also called for the Prime Minister to go.

He said that Sir Keir Starmer failed to “challenge the status quo” with his speech on Monday and should “announce a date for his departure so we can have an open contest and an orderly transition”, urging against a “rushed” contest.

The MP, who represents Leeds Central and Headingley, said: “The real turning point for the public was the resignation of Peter Mandelson and the subsequent revelations about his appointment, and I’ve yet to hear that properly acknowledged by the Prime Minister.

“That moment represented a loss of trust in him personally which I heard time and again on the doorstep.

“This is a key moment for the Labour Party, who collectively has achieved some momentous legislation in less than two years.

“However the Prime Minister has to do what is best for the country and the party, not what is best for himself. I want to give him the time and space to make that decision, but the message is now very clear.

“There’s a deeper issue here about leadership, character and integrity. Integrity matters in politics. You cannot tell people their lives are better if they don’t feel it.

“If you have to explain to someone that their life is better because of Government policy, that’s a communication failure. If they feel their life is worse, that’s a policy failure.”

He added: “The Prime Minister’s speech yesterday did not challenge the status quo and failed to articulate the radical societal change the country needs. The Prime Minister needs to announce a date for his departure so we can have an open contest and an orderly transition.

“A rushed contest following an immediate challenge doesn’t serve the best interests of the country in a time of war in the Middle East which is having a destabilising effect globally.”