UK PM Starmer faces growing calls to set timetable for his exit as rival Burnham says Labor has last chance for change | Today’s news

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer now faces growing calls to set a timetable for his exit from 10 Downing Street after his rival Andy Burnham secured a decisive victory in the Makerfield by-election, setting the stage for a leadership challenge.

A growing number of Labor MPs are now calling on Starmer to announce his plans to hand over power to Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, to avert a potentially messy leadership battle, the BBC reported on Friday (local time).

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Growing discontent among Labor MPs following poor local election performances and Andy Burnham’s decisive victory in the Makerfield by-election led to calls for Starmer to set a timetable for his resignation.

Burnham’s recent victory in the Makerfield constituency strengthens his position as a leadership contender, especially as Labor faces pressure to change course and regain lost support.

Burnham’s win may prompt Starmer to consider stepping aside to avoid a divisive leadership row, as it demonstrates Burnham’s appeal and urgency for Labor to regain public support.

Burnham needs the support of at least 81 Labor MPs, representing 20% ​​of the parliamentary party, to mount a leadership challenge against Starmer.

With growing calls for change and strong pressure from Labor MPs following the poor election results, the resignation could allow for a smoother leadership transition and potentially avoid a messy contest.

Read also | Keir Starmer breaks silence on Belfast violence in parliamentary speech

Will Starmer get a weekend appointment?

Burnham’s allies asked the British prime minister to reflect on the weekend and pay attention to members of his cabinet, MPs and family. According to the report, Burnham’s team and another potential challenger, Wes Streeting, said they would not give any interviews over the weekend to give Starmer time to change his mind about leaving Downing Street.

A pivotal moment for the British prime minister could come next Tuesday, when all his senior ministers are expected to meet for a weekly cabinet meeting.

Starmer is looking for support

Starmer, who previously insisted he would fight any challenge and refused to “retire” from the post, called on several cabinet ministers on Friday to ask for support. During a lunchtime call, he told Labor staff they should “pull together”.

Read also | UK political turmoil as PM Starmer refuses to resign amid growing calls

He said: “One thing we must avoid is throwing our party and our country into chaos by turning against each other and tearing our party and our movement apart,” adding: “That never worked. That’s what the last government did. We have to learn from that.”

As pressure mounts on Starmer, he has reportedly received support from chancellor Rachel Reeves, who spoke to Starmer hours after the Makerfield result was announced and offered her full support. It follows a debacle last month when several of his cabinet ministers, including Home Secretary Shaban Mahmood and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, asked him to set a timetable for his resignation following the party’s poor election performance.

Starmer set timetable for departure?

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the British Prime Minister had set a timetable for leaving office. But speaking to the BBC about whether he would now set a deadline for leaving office, he said: “I was elected to serve my country with the mandate we secured at the general election two years ago,” adding that his government had succeeded in achieving economic stability and getting immigration “back under control” and that he wanted to do more.

He went on to say that if there was a contest, he would run and reiterated that he would not walk away.

Read also | Trouble mounts for UK Prime Minister Starmer as Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigns

A star rival says Labor has one last chance for change

Andy Burnham, one of the frontrunners to replace Starmer as prime minister, said the Labor Party had “one last chance for change”, shortly after its landslide victory in the Makerfield by-election.

He added that his victory could be a “turning point” for London as he pledged not to use the constituency as a springboard.

He made the remarks during his victory rally on Friday, which was attended by several Labor MPs. Subsequently, his allies stepped up their calls, asking Starmer to stand aside and agree to a “controlled way forward” to avoid a bruising match.

However, it remains to be seen whether Starmer would go down without a fight, or whether there would be a botched contest in the selection of a new prime minister.

Key things

• Labor faces a pivotal moment as rival leaders call for change following the recent election results.
• Internal side dynamics are becoming complex, with increasing pressure on Starmer from within his team.
• Successful leadership transition strategies are critical to party unity and stability.