Donald Trump has issued what could be a final parting shot to the in-trouble Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
In a post on his Truth Social media site, Trump accused Sir Keir of failing with his immigration and energy policy. “Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom,” said Trump. “He failed badly on two very important subjects – IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT.”
Trump has repeatedly urged the UK to open up the North Sea for oil instead of using “windmills”. Their initially friendly relationship with the US president has soured significantly in recent months as tensions have continued simmering over Sir Keir’s refusal to allow US forces to use RAF bases in the initial wave of attacks against Iran.
Sir Keir insisted he and Trump “get on really well” when asked by reporters at the G7 summit in France earlier this week why the two did not hold a one-on-one meeting. The US president’s comments come as Sir Keir spends the weekend reflecting on whether to fight or step down amid mounting calls for him to set out a timetable.
Trump appears to be drawing from media reports that the Prime Minister could quit as soon as Monday. He has not spoken to Sir Keir since they saw each other at the G7.
Starmer has vowed not to walk away from his post on Friday, in the immediate aftermath of Andy Burnham winning the Makerfield by-election, but pressure has been mounting over the weekend.
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New UpdatesView PostToday18:11 BST
Sir Keir Starmer is reflecting on the “political realities” he now faces, a Cabinet minister said as he failed to rule out the possibility the Prime Minister could resign.
In a clear sign that Sir Keir is weighing his future, his Business Secretary did not shut down multiple reports that he could set out a timetable for his departure as soon as Monday.
The number of Labour MPs calling for Sir Keir to go has since topped 100 – just under a quarter of the party’s MPs – and includes some who signed a letter warning against a leadership contest just last month.
Labour grandees have also spoken out, with former home secretary Alan Johnson saying Sir Keir should step aside and Lord Falconer saying he has “no authority” because it is assumed he will be replaced by Mr Burnham.
Benjamin LynchToday17:05 BST
With Keir Starmer’s premiership in peril and the 10th anniversary of the referendum approaching, rows over the future of Brexit have burst into the open once again, writes The Mirror’s Deputy Political Editor Ashley Cowburn.
It was only last year Labour felt confident enough to punch at the Brexit wound again.
Rolling the pitch for her second Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves warned the economic fallout of the decision to leave the bloc was having a greater impact than first forecast.
But the red lines remained and the issue appeared settled.
Now, with Mr Starmer’s premiership in peril and the 10th anniversary of the referendum approaching, rows over the future of Brexit have burst into the open once again.
Read more: ‘With Keir Starmer’s premiership in peril Labour’s Brexit red lines may be up for debate’
Sir Keir Starmer meets with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in 2024(Image: BENJAMIN CREMEL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump and Sir Keir’s relationship has been often warm but frequently rocky as their times as world leaders have overlapped.
When the Holborn and St Pancras MP was leader of the opposition, Starmer said he would have “to make it work” if both he and Trump were both given the highest office in their respective countries.
Efforts were made, and the two held their first dinner together in New York in September 2024 alongside then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Lammy had previously branded the ex-President a “woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”.
The first signs of some friction would soon emerge. Amid a row over British volunteers travelling to campaign for the Democrats in battleground states. Donald Trump’s campaign team complained to the Federal Election Commission, accusing the UK Labour Party of “blatant foreign interference” in the US election.
Starmer dismissed the complaint saying it was a regular occurrence for party staff to volunteer in the US election.
But upon Trump’s inauguration, the British Government made efforts to interact warmly with the Trump administration. Trump said the pair get along well, and that Sir Keir had done a “very good job thus far”.
Around this time, the Government began to line up Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, viewed as a trusted pair of hands amid fears Trump would impose tariffs on the UK.
Starmer and Trump(Image: Isabel Infantes/PA Wire)
Questions are being raised within Labour about how a change of leader would come about – with some backing a leadership contest and others a swift transfer of power to Burnham.
If Sir Keir does not resign, 81 MPs would need to line up behind a candidate to trigger a contest and former health secretary Wes Streeting suggested last week he would be willing to fire the starting gun on such a process.
Labour MP Toby Perkins, a Starmer loyalist, said it needs to be clear whether a new leader would take the party on a “radical departure” from the manifesto it was elected on.
Former minister Jess Phillips, meanwhile, said candidates should at least present their ideas to the Parliamentary Labour Party.
“I very much hope that over the next week, at least, that whilst we may not end up with a full-scale contest, that there is an opportunity to properly question, in somewhat of a public forum, what’s coming next?,” she told the BBC.
Jess Phillips believes the PM ‘must do the right thing'(Image: Getty Images)
A senior Labour government figure today refused to rule out the resignation of embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
But Number 10 had insisted the PM will continue to fight on following Andy Burnham’s emphatic victory in the Makerfield by-election.
Starmer is known to be losing support from key supporterrs including members of his own cabinet.
Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, was one of the top ministers to urge the Prime Minister to go in a series of calls held after the Makerfield by-election, The Mirror reported earlier. The message was delivered privately and the Foreign Secretary has made no public comment.
On Sunday morning Peter Kyle, the Business Secretary, said he had a “frank conversation” about the challenges facing the PM – but declined to be drawn further.
Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham pictured together earlier this year(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
Former Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham make his return to Westminster on Monday to be sworn in as the new MP for Makerfield.
Long-tipped as a king over the water for Labour, a number of MPs hope Burnham will make a useful prime minister.
It is understood his camp wants Sir Keir to set out his plans in the coming days but would accept a timetable that kept him in No 10 until September.
Andy Burnham is looking to become the next Labour leader and Prime Minister(Image: Getty Images)
Donald Trump has been severely critical of Starmer, particularly since the Britih PM’s refusal to join his war in Iran. Today, the US president issued a parting shot to the PM, saying Starmer “will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom” having “failed on two very important subjects.
“He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!),” said Trump in a post on his Truth Social media site.
Signing off his comment, Trump said he wishes Starmer “well”.
Benjamin LynchToday16:16 BST
Trump’s post that Starmer “will” resign appears to be due to media reports swirling around the PM over his future.He is not thought to have spoken to Trump this weekend.
The two met recently at the G7 world leaders summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. A post on social media claimed that when US President Donald Trump arrived at a meeting of world leaders, he did not shake the hand of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.“Donald Trump shook everyone’s hand, except Keir Starmer, then walked off,” the post read. It included a short clip appearing to show the incident.
This is not what videos of the event show. A little before the video posted on social media starts, Sir Keir and Trump did shake hands.
Starmer and Trump at the G7 last week(Image: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street)