British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was on Tuesday consulting senior colleagues over his political future ahead of a crucial cabinet meeting, as pressure mounted within the ruling Labour Party for him to step aside.
Starmer, who has been in office for less than two years, is facing growing calls to resign following Labour’s poor performance in last week’s local elections.
According to British media reports, several senior cabinet ministers, including Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, have urged Starmer to outline a timetable for his departure.
Nearly 80 lawmakers from different factions within the party have also demanded that the prime minister announce when he intends to leave office, a move that could pave the way for a leadership contest.
Senior minister Darren Jones said Starmer was engaging with party members and weighing his options.
“He’s listening to colleagues, and he’s talking to colleagues. I can’t get ahead of any decision he may or may not take,” Jones told Times Radio.
Starmer had earlier attempted to steady his leadership on Monday by promising to govern with greater urgency and boldness in addressing the country’s challenges.
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However, the effort failed to calm discontent within Labour, as more lawmakers publicly called for him to resign or indicate plans to step down. The political uncertainty also reportedly pushed Britain’s borrowing costs higher.
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The prime minister warned that the British public would not forgive Labour if the party plunged into another leadership struggle, just two years after winning a commanding parliamentary majority that was expected to restore stability following years of political turmoil linked to Britain’s exit from the European Union.
Starmer is Britain’s fourth prime minister in five years.
The growing unrest within government comes a day before King Charles III is scheduled to present the government’s legislative agenda during Wednesday’s State Opening of Parliament ceremony.
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