Starmer tells cabinet leadership contest has not been triggered

politicsMay 12, 202636327

Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his cabinet that the Labour Party's formal leadership challenge process "has not been triggered" and said he will "get on with governing." The statement followed the resignation of the first government minister and more than 70 Labour MPs urging Starmer to quit immediately or set a timetable for departure. Starmer framed the situation as procedural rather than requiring a leadership vote and pressed ministers to continue day-to-day government business. This matters because a sustained leadership dispute could derail Labour's policy agenda and weaken the government's ability to deliver on priorities.

Victoria Derbyshire

@vicderbyshire.bsky.social

Sir Keir Starmer tells his cabinet that he will 'get on with governing' and a leadership contest hasn’t been triggered

1344h ago

wodman.bsky.social23

They need to keep correcting the mess left by subsequent Governments. The Press is not going to stop going for them, so just power through till the improvements are there for everyone to see.

Gourock Girl13

Do politicians realise that these leadership elections come across as self interest? They don’t want to lose their seat at the next election so start pfaffing around with this stuff instead of getting on with the job in hand. In an unstable world we need a stable government - whoever that may be.

Carl11

Chris Mason will be devastated.

Ilikecaketoo (UK)11

Good. Now can the bloody media just calm down. Let the Govt get on with the job and stop the chaos.

Claire10

Good. Now that we've got that cleared up maybe Farage and his £5million/Clacton house and Polanski and his unpaid council tax could be given the same level of coverage. And yes I know, Starmer had glasses!

David9

Can you tell Mason & co?

Get Me Zarniwoop8

Good. Hopefully that will steady the markets. bsky.app/profile/chad...

Joel Herron - Pica Pica Press8

How many prime ministers have we had since brexshit?

Ruth7

He’s right.. and as a Labour member all my life I’m delighted!

Tiny Trace7

Thank you for facts not gossip

Kev Woods4

This is reporting. Here are the facts. no opinion attached, just the facts. Ty @vicderbyshire.bsky.social

Arnab Dutt4

Of course he was going to stay and fight...he will take it to the party and if the Kings speech is radical...like joining a customs union with a view to re enter the EU single market...he might win.

carolechapman.bsky.social4

Pleased to hear that news.

Bobbie3

Wasn't David Dinsmore, a former editor of The Sun, recently appointed as the head of the Government Communications Service to overhaul the government's media strategy and improve how it connects with modern audiences. If anyone should resign today, it's Dismal Dinsmore

jimmbuzz.bsky.social2

‪ Starmer identified a Farage govt as a huge danger to the UK, but gave no sign that he was fit to prevent it. His announcement - a ban foreign agitators visiting far right events is just faffing around. If he really wants to keep Farage out all he has to do is bring in PR for the next election.

kenmunn.bsky.social2

The proponents of chaos are keen for the UK to have its seventh prime minister of the decade.

Pascal 🇪🇺 🇬🇧 🇫🇷2

But he could be forced to if 81 MPs agree on a named replacement. I think at last count they were 71 strong.

jonquillucy.bsky.social2

So can the media just calm down and let him and the Govt get on with the job. I've stopped watching Newsnight because it just a continuation of the relentless bashing of this Govt. On the Radio 4 headlines this morning was a story about Zak Polanski so the BBC might have moved on 2 him for a while.

Pippa Crerar

@pippacrerar.bsky.social

NEW: Keir Starmer tells cabinet he’s staying put. “I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised. “The past 48 hours have been destabilising for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families”.

703h ago

Pippa Crerar41

“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered. “The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a Cabinet.” A clear challenge to Wes Streeting to put up or shut up.

Yve11

And so he should. It is the Media who are pushing this and some of the 2024 MPs getting on the bandwagon

Bo Morris7

lol. I think Trumps war has had a bigger effect on the cost of living than anything Kier’s done.

Bo Morris6

Well done Kier. Another leader would just get the same treatment from the right wing media. Little point in change.

xdefector2000.bsky.social6

Nothing to see here - just media generated hysteria. The right wing media looking for a scalp as usual and looking to destabilise their opponents. If labour had an MP who was any better than SKS then I’m sure he would be leader by now.

Devon Recluse3

Good, glad he is fighting for his leadership.

Tracey3

I'm afraid Pippa your industry has become poison. This constant daily drip feed of negativity and talking about the PM leaving is destroying people's mental health. If farage gets in you've all had it. See America with trump.

West Norfolk Design3

Good, dig in, ignore the stink in the wind, carry on fixing the roof!

johnboy20042006.bsky.social2

Probably the best example I have ever came across in terms of the so called Westminster bubble. How these politicians cannot see how despised Starmer is with the public is beyond me. The dislike is going to increase 10 fold as citizens of the country realise there is someone trespassing in number 10

Markeye2

Probably the right choice given the lack of credible alternatives. But without radical rethinking on some key policies, the problem isn’t going away. Many of us are lifelong supporters and have lost faith in a party that simply doesn’t represent what we see as Labour values any more.

Andrew Sparrow

@andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social

Starmer tells cabinet no one has triggered process for leadership challenge and he's not resigning - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

174h ago

May the bridges I burn light my way!6

Good. I hope he stays and rides out this media led coup.

Sylvia

@sylvia-suffragette.bsky.social

🍿POPCORN NEWS Starmer states he’s not leaving “The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered” Stock up 🍿🍿🍿 Looks like things might get more entertaining.

He tells the cabinet:
"As I said yesterday, I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised.
"The past 48 hours have been destabilising for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families.
"The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered.
"The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet."

184h ago

Norzola3

He kicked out every single person in Labour leadership with any real integrity, and rewarded those who would support his grift. This will be his downfall now: he has surrounded himself with other grifters who happily sacrificed their own old principles for power - why wouldn't they sacrifice him?

Around the outside2

Starting the cabinet meeting, shirt off, bellowing "C'mon then!"

Josh Self

@josh.politics.co.uk

Starmer plays the process card. Despite focus on the 81 MP threshold, prime minister rightly tells cabinet that nothing has been triggered under Labour rules, daring MPs in general, and Wes Streeting specifically, to challenge him 1/.

133h ago

BrokenBanker

@brokenbanker.bsky.social

*STARMER TELLS CABINET HE IS STAYING ON AS PRIME MINISTER *STARMER SAYS LABOUR PARTY LEADERSHIP PROCESS NOT TRIGGERED YET start your engines and fire up the lettuce

144h ago

Simon Parker

@sparkerworld.bsky.social

Wouldn't it be great if Starmer tells his Cabinet colleagues who don't want him as Prime Minister to resign and Shabana Mahmood was no longer Home Secretary and Wes Streeting no longer Health Secretary at the end of the day 🤞🏻🙏🏻

95h ago

Tadzio Mueller

@tadziomueller.bsky.social

famous last words: "Keir Starmer tells cabinet he is not resigning amid growing pressure to stand down"

73h ago

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)

@sundersays.bsky.social

PM does not accept it is over - citing the rules No 10 releases what he said to the others. (Not yet what they said in response).

09.48 BST
Starmer tells cabinet no one has triggered process for leadership challenge and he's not resigning
Keir Starmer has told his cabinet that he is not resigning.

According to No 10, he said:

As I said yesterday, I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised.

The past 48 hours have been destabilising for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families.

The Labour party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered.

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

Share

84h ago

Cath Haddon

@cathhaddon.bsky.social

“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered." + Darren Jones this morning saying PM still had support, despite the resignations. And MPs were out yesterday saying that they supported PM. And yet it still feels like herd is moving. So (hear me out)..

54h ago

Cath Haddon4

Is there an argument that the PM might benefit now if Labour did have a confidence in Leader mechanism and not just the challenger option? If it is just one candidate (West), the Labour process works as a confidence vote. But even that takes time.

Joan van der Lingen

@joanlingen.bsky.social

Very glad to hear this. The U.K. seems to have got addicted to leadership change, it’s harmful and damages the country internationally. Give Keir Starmer a chance to bring change. Keir Starmer latest: prime minister tells cabinet he will not resign www.thetimes.com/article/8bac...

44h ago

Martin Calladine

@uglygame.bsky.social

Starmer saying, "under the rules, a formal contest hasn't been triggered," is just as pathetic and personally revealing as Boris Johnson's, "you'll have to dip your hands in blood" briefing.

54h ago