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Jess Phillips resigns, tells Keir Starmer 'deeds not words matter'

cultureMay 12, 2026742,437

Jess Phillips resigned from her ministerial post, telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer "deeds, not words, are what matter." Her departure makes her the first sitting government minister to quit and joins roughly 80 Labour MPs WHO have urged Starmer to step down. Starmer said a leadership contest has not been triggered and that he will not quit. The move heightens scrutiny of Labour's leadership and could force a formal contest over the party's direction and internal rules.

Jim Pickard
@pickardje.bsky.social

Breaking: Jess Phillips resigns as safeguarding minister just ahead of the 1pm news bulletins

3143h ago
Sarah-Jayne Kenyon63

This is damning. I very much value Jess Phillips and what she has to say. I have been supportive of Starmer throughout and have respect for his stance but this is convincing.

Louise43

I’m not an advocate of toppling Starmer. But I feel this is the most significant and well explained resignation so far. We can’t ignore it folks.

Charlotte Smith22

This line is absolutely the essence of Starmer’s failure: “the desire not to have an argument means we rarely make an argument, leaving opportunities for progress stalled”. It is such a tragic waste of a Labour government.

Your Favourite Chicken Auntie17

Kowtowing to the techbros and appeasing the Reform fascists/neonazis were always my red lines that Starmer crossed.

Richard Hernaman Allen16

She may be something of a maverick, but that is "sticking the knife in from the front"

all-a-mort.bsky.social11

Harsh, but undoubtedly accurate. Labour governments are rare and precious and an opportunity not be wasted. Especially with Farage waiting in the wings. Starmer has not just failed to deliver on the change needed, but failed to even appreciate the necessity of it.

Ken Spearpoint10

Despite her limitations, she is a very committed Labour politician who worked very hard for her class. This is quite something as it reveals the underlying nature of Starmer's 'leadership', one that is seemingly paralysed by indecision & lack of (beneficial) action.

Holly Brigstocke9

I've been saying for ages Labour's women need to put their foot down with Starmer. He's a bullying and nasty man and a misogynist. First Catherine West now Jess Phillips with Angela Rayner putting a boot in from the sidelines. It's just a shame they don't support all women and are transphobic.

Fat Apollo, baby!8

A brave and upstanding pos

@raystonian7

He's lost the one who laughed as the results came through in 2019. It's curtains for Starmer.

Maguire 6

Never trust any person who puts their photograph on letterhead.

Childless Dog Lady6

Bitterly disappointed with this. I admire Jess but resigning doesn’t help anyone (except reform) and putting the boot into the PM like this turns Labour into the last Tory government. Hold the fricking line, give the PM a chance to course correct and keep farage at bay!

liamgall.bsky.social5

Now that, is how you resign.

Dr Dave Hitchcock5

Damn, that one is deadly.

Marty1981 (uk)4

I mean, the tech bros are the biggest threat to our future and to allow them to continue unchallenged just because of the jobs they would provide is a grave mistake. Im with jess and its hard to admit. Need someone in charge that will do what is necessary and take on the musks of the world

Stu ⭐⭐ 🕊️3

Never got used to that friendship with Reece-Mogg.

james-harrington.bsky.social3

Plus a Labour government should: *Support the disabled and elderly not take support away. *Condemn genocide and illegal wars not support them. *Create a fair immigration system not one that favours wealth over need. *Stand up for the right to protest not jail peaceful protesters. Etc etc etc.....

Fran W3

Damning. A cabinet should exist to assert different opinions, feed debate AND disagreements, but then to collectively and fundamentally arrive at a consensus. If Starmer is not allowing this to happen, it’s a disgrace.

Andy Taylor3

Another one who is more interested in herself than the Country

Tiny Trace3

Of course she did… loves a bit of telly time…

Barti Slatfass3

Wondering what that magic bullet against naked selfies is supposed to be.

midlander3

I think that’s game over then.

radgiegadgie.bsky.social3

I cannot stand Jess Phillips but you cannot argue with any aspect of this letter - wow

JohnnyRed3

Wow. That one is particularly harsh

@raystonian3

Jess Philips resigns as minister for Jess Philips.

Kathryn 3

Ok I was coming on here to be annoyed with Phillips yet again resigning from a post but this letter is actually emblematic of all the other issues. Why aren't they progressing anything? She is correct on all fronts

minion of midas2

This feels very obviously written by herself.

danjac.eurosky.social2

It sounds like Starmer is the same in private as we all believe him to be in public. Unwilling to take stand, procrastinating and waffling.

John Turner2

I wonder if this is related to a bruised ego following Harriet Harmen’s appointment as prime minister’s adviser on women and girls?

marky-b-uc.eurosky.social2

Shame tho as Jess is good.

lila7.bsky.social2

Whom does she want instead? And why does she think that person would be any better? Those are the questions I keep asking about all of them but of course there are no answers.

Peter Stefanovic
@peterstefanovic.bsky.social

BREAKING: Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips has resigned from Keir Starmer's Government

1113h ago
Me! (she, her) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿15

Well, she didn’t hold back, but yet again no mention of the rampant transphobia that is destroying the mental health of every trans person and family in the UK. Of course the desperate Starmer supporter clones won’t like it, but all they have left is that he’s a decent man. Spoiler alert, he isn’t!

lorenzokershaw.bsky.social7

She's going to be seriously disappointed in Farage's position on this issue when he becomes PM. Which her actions now are enabling.

Joan van der Lingen4

I cannot keep waiting around? Where does she come from, Kindergarden? Keir Starmer has been in Office less than 2 years, very turbulent years with now the war in Iran threatening all economies. This is not a time to quit.

Andy Martell3

Let’s be fair… she’s resigned on just about every Labour leader she’s served under… in fact, she always stabs them in the front for good measure.

wiggy63.bsky.social3

Looks like another incumbent government is going to backstab its way to implosion. Labours problem is the MSM convincing idiots that Farage is fit to govern, he isn’t…. Let a serious politician get on with the job.

TheMonkeyPlantation2

Is she using this to get out of a job that’s impossible to deliver?

LindenLynn2

Is this the same Jess Phillips who when Corbyn was leader of the #LabourParty 'says she would knife Jeremy Corbyn "in the front, not the back" if she thought he was damaging the party ' Sky News 14 .12. 2015 And laughed out loud on Ch4news at the results of 2019 election results? Labour are dead!

Prem Sikka
@premnsikka.bsky.social

Jess Phillips resigns as minister telling Starmer 'deeds, not words, matter' after PM says he won't quit. Starmer can end the circus by announcing plan to step down. There must be a proper contest for leadership, not under the rules rigged by Starmer. Need the NEC to step-up

903h ago
Marwood9

The NEC is also compromised. Labour is a dead duck.

nicholasbannan.bsky.social8

So, who do people genuinely believe will be capable of doing a better job? I would discount both Rayner and Streeting to start with. And waiting for the second coming of Burnham is fraught with distractions that Farage and the media will exploit.

Joan van der Lingen7

Starmer can also end the circus by ending the new British tradition of leadership change whenever things get tough. Change needs time, especially after you all collectively committed suicide by leaving the E.U.

DeeCee6

If Keir Starmer was serious about change, he would announce: 1: Levison 2, to hold the feral mainstream media accountable and be regulated properly. Less opining and more journalism. 2: Authorise councils to build 1 Million council houses. The rents from which would help council budgets.

Gav3745

Oh fuckoff and just let him get the country back to some sort of normality after 14 years of tories destroying it at home and abroad

Citizen of the World (and proud of it) 🇺🇦💪🏳️‍🌈4

No. He was elected for five years, the 70 MPs that want us to go back in opposition and let Farage win can go.

Nation of Stupids3

Nah. Labour govt has 400 MPs with only 85 dissenters. Two years into a ten-year turnaround. End the circus. Stop pandering to the media. Get back to work.

Jane Harbison2

No we don’t If she was so concerned why did she not resign before? Principles?

Paul Sandham2

I’m not sure changing PM is the right thing for the country given the history of so doing over the last few years but this needs sorting pdq one way or the other or it will dominate all UK politics for the foreseeable future. To the nation’s detriment.

Stephen Bush
@stephenkb.bsky.social

One way you can tell the pro-Starmer people on here are motivated by their self-perception is how little their criticisms make sense. When was the “before” you would have been happy with Jess Phillips saying “your governing style is bad” in public? Never, obviously.

1083h ago
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