Several British cabinet ministers are reportedly urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down as Labour lawmakers went public to express their dissatisfaction over one of the worst defeats for Labour in last week’s local elections.
The Times newspaper reports that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and other cabinet ministers had told the prime minister to consider setting out a timeline for his departure
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Starmer that he should oversee an orderly transition of power, according to the Guardian.
ITV News reports that Starmer’s deputy, David Lammy, was also urging his boss to set out a departure timetable.
Four ministerial aides said they were resigning, believing that Starmer, 63, was not the man to lead Labour into the next national election, due in 2029, and hoping to trigger a leadership contest that could last weeks, if not months.
Starmer swiftly announced new appointments to fill a number of vacant positions.
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Tuesday, May 12, 2026
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