‘I will not quit’: Starmer makes a last stand as Labour revolt swells to 81 MPs, 1 minister

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Tuesday declared that he would make a last stand and not surrender to the growing revolt in the Labour Party.

Following a speech seen as a make-or-break moment for Starmer, the revolt has grown to 81 Labour MPs and a minister, according to a tally by The Times.

As two camps appear to be leading the revolt —one headed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the other by former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner— Starmer has dared them to make the first move by refusing to quit. He gathered the Cabinet at Number 10 and told them he intends to continue in office.

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Starmer warned that the political crisis has been destabilising for the government and has a real economic cost for the country. He stressed that no one has yet triggered a leadership contest.

“The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet,” Starmer said.

Eighty-one MPs’ endorsement is required to trigger a leadership contest. Even though they appear to have the numbers, the two camps eyeing Number 10 have not yet made the first move. Analysts have said that Starmer intends to survive the revolt by playing the two camps against each other.

The lack of unified leadership behind the revolt has worsened the crisis, with a minister telling the Daily Mail that “it’s not organised and everyone can see the timing is accidental and appalling”.

Pressure grows on Starmer but rivals face complicated maths

After five ministerial aides resigned, Miatta Fahnbulleh on Tuesday became the first minister to step down.

In her resignation letter, Fahnbulleh, a junior minister in the housing, communities, and local government ministry, called upon Starmer “to do the right thing for the country and the Party and set a timetable for an orderly transition”.

But no one has yet publicly triggered a leadership challenge or declared themselves as a contender, as rivals are also facing complicated maths.

The Daily Mail reported Labour sources as saying that Rayner has agreed to a 'dream ticket' deal with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham that would see her return as deputy prime minister. But she has not triggered a leadership contest as any immediate election would shatter that dream: Burnham is not an MP and would need time to enter parliament via a by-election.

Rayner has been raising support for Burnham’s return to Parliament in recent weeks.

At the same time, even though The Independent has reported that four ministers have urged Starmer to quit, none has gone public yet. But that could change today as The Independent has reported Labour sources as saying that Streeting is now expected to launch a leadership contest later in the day.