‘Starmer has lost the country, should resign as PM,’ says former Labour ally

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s former ally and Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons has become the latest Labour MP to call for the resignation of the PM. Simons said the prime minister has “lost the country” as he called on him to set out a timetable for his departure from 10 Downing Street.

“This is bigger than any one person. All of us must be honest about these challenges, including those vying to replace the prime minister. We need radicalism, energy, and immense courage,” he wrote in the Sunday Times.

Simons was forced to resign in March amid a probe into claims that a Labour think tank he once ran paid for an investigation to “smear” journalists.

One of Labour’s biggest union backers also warned that the party is at risk of “going extinct” if it does not change direction and Sir Keir attempts to fend off a leadership ultimatum.

Labour MP Catherine West has also issued an ultimatum to cabinet members, telling them to challenge Sir Keir by Monday, or she will start formally gathering names to trigger a contest.

PM Starmer has, meanwhile, vowed to lead Labour into the next general election and promised to forge closer ties with Europe as he deals with the fallout from disastrous results for the party in the local election.

Can an MP launch a leadership challenge?

Every political party has its own set of rules for ousting a leader. In Labour party, a leadership election can be triggered only if the leader resigns, or if 20 per cent of MPs nominate a challenger, which means Catherine West needs to get 81 people to back her in her nominating a single person.

West said she does not have a candidate yet, but says “there are several people who would like to do it, who have been planning for months”.

Labour Party members and affiliated supporters are eligible to vote.

Starmer is under immense pressure over his leadership after Labour party suffered devastating electoral losses across the country.

‘We have a problem and we have to move quickly’

“We have a problem and we have to move quickly, said Catherine West on Sunday morning, after threatening to challenge Starmer unless the cabinet can agree on a replacement.

On Saturday, she said she would challenge the PM herself if a cabinet minister didn’t step forward by Monday.

Starmer will try to reset his premiership in a major speech on Monday before Wednesday’s King’s Speech, in which the government will set out the new laws it intends to pass in the coming year.