Keir Starmer’s make-or-break speech appears to have done little to save the beleaguered prime minister’s career: the backbench rebel MP Catherine West branded it “too little, too late”.
Shortly after the Monday morning intervention, West, a former minister who was sacked last autumn, announced that she was collecting names of Labour MPs who would back her bid to topple Starmer, saying he had “failed to inspire hope”.
Under the party’s rules, at least 81 MPs, or a fifth of the parliamentary party, must back a challenger to trigger a contest.
Initially it appeared that the MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet had backed away from suggesting he should leave immediately, instead calling on him to “set out a timetable for the election of a new leader in September”.
This was widely viewed as being helpful to Andy Burnham, currently the mayor of Greater Manchester, who is not currently an MP. “It only makes sense if [St Helens South and Whiston MP] Marie Rimmer gives up seat and announces today,” one colleague noted.
However, West later clarified that she was not backing down from her original position, telling Politico she wanted a contest to begin "soon" and have a leader in place by 1 September.
Already, backbenchers that have until recently been considered loyal to the leadership have backed her calls.
Chris Curtis, who leads the Labour Growth Group, told Sky News: “I don't think we saw a plan from the PM this morning in order to implement the kind of change this country needs. I therefore think it's time for us to look for new leadership.
“I think what that means is the PM setting out a timetable and an orderly process for a leadership election and one in which Labour has a discussion about a vision for the country and what changes are needed.”
At the weekend, former minister Josh Simons called for an orderly transition “over the coming months”.
Sources told The Observer there was a coordinated plan to pile pressure on the PM. Following initial calls for Starmer to step aside, they predicted a series of resignations from parliamentary private secretaries (PPS), rising to junior and then cabinet ministers.
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner are planning their next steps based on their rival’s moves.
On Sunday, allies of both big hitters told The Observer they would not challenge Starmer directly but were prepared to move should the opportunity arise. Any suggestion of an imminent move were denied by both camps on Monday afternoon.
Number 10 declined to comment on West’s latest statement, referring instead to the prime minister’s speech just prior.
Photograph by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
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