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Starmer's statement to cabinet - what does it mean?
Keir Starmer’s statement to cabinet this morning (see 9.48am) was carefully worded.
At the weekend Starmer gave an interview to the Observer that resulted in the paper reporting that he wanted 10 more years in No 10. That was subsequently viewed as a mistake, reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher saying she would “go on and on” and Boris Johnson saying he was planning for his third term in office. These were moments of hubris that alarmed even the leaders’ supporters.
In his statement Starmer does not say he definitely intends to stay on until the next election. He refers to the argument he made in his speech yesterday about instability being bad for the country and he refers to the fact that no one has triggered a leadership contest. But he does not even say how he would respond to such a challenge, and so – although he indicates that he is staying on – he leaves open the possibility that, if there is a challenge, he might announce plans to resign.
What Starmer is doing, though, is throwing down a challenge, and it is aimed at one minister in particular; he’s telling Wes Streeting: “Have a go if you’re hard enough.”
Streeting may be the the only person in cabinet capable of getting the 81 names needed to launch a leadership challenge. Until now, he has said that he won’t challenge Starmer, but he has been acting as if he has been expecting others to make that contest happen.
Now, it seems, if Streeting wants a contest, he is going to have to trigger it himself.
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Here are two more statements from Labour MPs who have issued statements this morning calling for Keir Starmer to resign.
From James Asser, MP for West Ham and Beckton
From Richard Baker, MP for Glenrothes and Mid Fife
Tim Shipman, the Spectator’s political editor, has been covering politics for so long that he has started to despair about politicians making basic mistakes. Last week he resorted to writing a column full of basic advice of leaders. Today he has got advice for Labour MPs wanting to remove Keir Starmer.
Having seen this show multiple times, MPs will be asking themselves “can I get a better job?” And “will the new leader swing the way my heart desires?” Labour MPs will do themselves and the country a favour if they use their heads and my ask every leadership contender these questions:
1) What is your plan? Not the vibes or the direction of travel. The actual policies they will prioritise
2) How will you communicate this plan to the voters? (MPs ask yourself if the candidate is a good communicator because without that they are lost)
3) Who is your team to enact this plan both a) in the key cabinet posts and b) in Downing Street. At a bare minimum they should have identified a chief of staff and a director of communications
4) How will your plan persuade the markets not to blow up the government on the launching pad? If you don’t get proper answers to all these questions move on.
Unless they have good answers to all these questions you will be installing another dud
Starmer's statement to cabinet - what does it mean?
Keir Starmer’s statement to cabinet this morning (see 9.48am) was carefully worded.
At the weekend Starmer gave an interview to the Observer that resulted in the paper reporting that he wanted 10 more years in No 10. That was subsequently viewed as a mistake, reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher saying she would “go on and on” and Boris Johnson saying he was planning for his third term in office. These were moments of hubris that alarmed even the leaders’ supporters.
In his statement Starmer does not say he definitely intends to stay on until the next election. He refers to the argument he made in his speech yesterday about instability being bad for the country and he refers to the fact that no one has triggered a leadership contest. But he does not even say how he would respond to such a challenge, and so – although he indicates that he is staying on – he leaves open the possibility that, if there is a challenge, he might announce plans to resign.
What Starmer is doing, though, is throwing down a challenge, and it is aimed at one minister in particular; he’s telling Wes Streeting: “Have a go if you’re hard enough.”
Streeting may be the the only person in cabinet capable of getting the 81 names needed to launch a leadership challenge. Until now, he has said that he won’t challenge Starmer, but he has been acting as if he has been expecting others to make that contest happen.
Now, it seems, if Streeting wants a contest, he is going to have to trigger it himself.
Labour backbenchers are continuing to release letters this morning calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation. Steven Swinford from the Times says, according to their count, at least 81 Labour MPs have now called for Starmer to go. That is the number needed, under Labour party rules, by a candidate who wants to formally trigger the process for a contest (under the rules that Keir Starmer referenced in his statement – see 9.48am.)
But, whereas the Conservative party have rules that say, if enough Tory MPs demand a binding vote of confidence in the leader, a vote has to take place, there is no equivalent threshold in the Labour rules. The fact that 81 Labour MPs have called for Starmer to go has no significance in terms of process. It would only be significant if all those 81 MPs were to subsequently back the same candidate – which won’t happen.
Starmer tells cabinet no one has triggered process for leadership challenge and he's not resigning
Keir Starmer has told his cabinet that he is not resigning.
According to No 10, he said:
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.
Paul Foster, the Labour MP for South Ribble, has just issued a statement calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation.
Miatta Fahnbulleh becomes first minister to resign calling for Starmer's resignation
Miatta Fahnbulleh, minister for devolution, faith and communities, has become the first minister to resign so that she can call for Keir Starmer’s resignation.
She has posted this on social media.
John McDonnell claims 'coup' against Starmer orchestrated by Streeting
John McDonnell, the Labour leftwinger and shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn, has accused Wes Streeting, the health secretary, of launching a “coup” against Keir Starmer. He posted this on social media this morning.
I called for time for serious discussion, no precipitous coup & fully democratic process if leadership election.Instead Wes Streeting has launched coup for fear of a democratic process & whilst candidates are blocked. Handing leadership to Mandelson’s protege is gift to Reform
Streeting’s allies insist that, while Streeting has been making plans for a potential leadership contest, he said he was not going to challenge Starmer directly, and he hasn’t.
McDonnell clearly does not believe that. When he talks of a coup, he is referring to the fact that prominent Streeting supporters, like Chris Curtis, Alan Gemmell, and Jas Athwal, were among the Labour backbenchers calling for Starmer’s resignation yesterday.
David Lammy, the deputy PM and justice secretarary, waved at reporters as he walked down Downing Street into No 10, the Press Association reports. Journalists shouted questions but he did not answer as he got out of a car and walked down the street
Pippa Crerar on what factors cabinet ministers will consider as they ponder Starmer's future
This is from my colleague Pippa Crerar, the Guardian’s political editor.
It’s notable that yesterday majority of cabinet ministers *did not* offer statements of support for PM (apart from those on media round).
Their actions this morning could determine whether Starmer survives. Among other factors, they will be considering:
1/ who would take over as PM and - crucially - what they would do differently. And whether they would a/ face any different problems (they wouldn’t) and b/ be any better at dealing with them. Or would they just inherit the deep discontent that has been focused on Starmer to date?
2/ whether now is the time to remove their leader - given volatile situation at home and abroad and it’s only 20 months into a government - or whether they would be better off waiting until closer to next election if that’s their plan.
3/ how the Tories and Reform (and right wing media) would respond to a change in leader at this stage in the cycle (in short - with glee, before moving on to destabilising the next one, and the next)
4/ whether Starmer has it in him to up his game - to deliver the big change needed, to communicate it better and to start trying to win round his party and the country.
5/ most importantly, what the public thinks: can Starmer turn around opinion (personal approval ratings at historic lows) or is it already too late? And how would they view a Labour govt - which promised stability after years of Tory chaos - inflicting more of the same?
Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, has arrived in Downing Street by car and walked into Number 11. She did not respond to questions from reporters as she entered the building.
There is no one in cabinet whose fate is more closely tied to Keir Starmer’s. A new leader would almost certainly replace her as chancellor.
