A number of Labour MPs have come out demanding Keir Starmer resigns. A few of them aired their views on social media and on the media round this morning, here’s what they had to say:
Connor Naismith, MP for Crewe and Nantwich, hinted in a post on X that Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham could take the reigns.
double quotation markAndy is the most popular Labour politician in the country. The suggestion that he wouldn’t be able to win in some of the seats Labour is currently struggling to win is just wrong.
Ironically, this is precisely why we need him back on the front line of national politics.
Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme Starmer has to go “in the not too distant future”.
double quotation markI think there are three scenarios: one is that Keir carries on until the next election and we lose, and we lose badly.
Secondly, that in the end, Keir decides to stick it out, and there is a move to get rid of him, an internal battle, and then the public don’t like parties that fight amongst themselves, so that could lead to an election defeat.
Or in the end, Keir recognises, for the good of the country and the Government, he has to step down at some point in the not too distant future.
Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, also told BBC Radio 4’s Today that Starmer had a “matter of months” to make a decision about his future.
double quotation mark“I hope, as he has said, that he will always put the country first and we have to recognise the dangers that we are in now.
“But on this trajectory it doesn’t look good, not just for locals – I lost some really dear colleagues who worked so hard for their constituency – but it means the prospect of us not just losing an election, but who we would lose to and that makes me really fearful.”