UK's Starmer faces crucial cabinet meeting as calls grow for him to quit
By Elizabeth Piper, Andrew MacAskill and Sarah Young
Political Turmoil Surrounding Prime Minister Keir Starmer
LONDON, May 12 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet his top ministers on Tuesday for talks at which he may be forced to set out a timetable for his departure after one of the governing Labour Party's worst election defeats.
Starmer's Response to Mounting Pressure
Starmer, in the top job for less than two years, vowed on Monday to stay the course, saying succumbing to calls for him to go would bring in the type of chaos that has dogged Britain since the nation narrowly voted in favour of Brexit in 2016.
But his plea for another chance fell on deaf ears and almost 80 lawmakers publicly called for him to set a resignation date so the party could install a new leader in an orderly manner.
British media reports also said several cabinet ministers, including interior minister Shabana Mahmood, had told Starmer he should consider complying with those demands.
The cabinet was due to meet at 9:30 a.m. (0830 GMT).
Market Reactions and Political Instability
Borrowing costs rose and sterling fell against the dollar as Britain embarked on its latest bout of political instability. Were Starmer to go in the coming weeks, he would be replaced by Britain's seventh prime minister in 10 years.
Internal Party Dynamics and Leadership Challenges
Starmer Is 'Listening' to Colleagues, Says Ally
Senior minister and Starmer ally Darren Jones told Times Radio on Tuesday that Starmer, facing a mounting rebellion from across his party, was consulting colleagues.
"He's listening to colleagues, and he's talking to colleagues. I can't get ahead of any decision he may or may not take," Jones said.
He later appeared to backtrack, repeating Starmer's pledge on Monday that the prime minister would not walk away.
Efforts to Shore Up Leadership
Starmer had sought to shore up his position on Monday when he promised to act more boldly and with more urgency to tackle Britain's many problems.
He had said the country would never forgive the centre-left Labour Party if it embarked on a leadership challenge, just two years after its huge parliamentary majority was supposed to bring an end to the political chaos that had gripped the country since Britain voted to leave the European Union 10 years ago.
Growing Calls for Resignation
But almost immediately his lawmakers started to publicly call for him to quit or set a date for his departure. By Monday evening four ministerial aides had quit, saying Starmer no longer had the authority to lead the country.
"I can’t see how he gets through the day," one Labour lawmaker told Reuters on the condition of anonymity. "If we’re on 70-odd now, the number who think he should go but haven’t gone public is easily double that."
Labour's Leadership Rules and Potential Successors
It is generally harder for Labour lawmakers to remove a prime minister than the opposition Conservative Party, which went through five prime ministers in eight years after 2016. Labour lawmakers have to rally behind specific candidates, rather than simply declare "no confidence" in the leader.
Removing Starmer now - or forcing him to set a departure date - would likely favour health minister Wes Streeting, who hails from the right of the party and is seen as a better communicator than Starmer.
Other possible challengers, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner have obstacles to running. Burnham does not have the seat in parliament he needs to mount a challenge and Rayner has yet to fully resolve the tax issues that prompted her resignation from office last year.
Economic and Legislative Implications
Bond markets have been sensitive to any suggestion that Starmer and his finance minister Rachel Reeves could go, and be replaced by someone further to the left who might want to borrow and spend more.
The move against him comes a day before King Charles is due to set out the government's legislative agenda in a parliamentary ceremony of pomp and splendour on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Sarah Young; writing by Kate Holton; editing by William James and Alex Richardson)
