Cabinet members, including Shabana Mahmood, tell Starmer he needs to resign as rebellion spreads

"Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has overseen Starmer's controversial immigration crackdown, told the prime minister that he should consider laying out a plan for a successor, according to people familiar with the matter."

"Such critics included Joe Morris, a ministerial aide of UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and Streeting's constituency neighbour Jas Athwal, leading to intense speculation in Labour that the health secretary was preparing to challenge Starmer. Around half a dozen other ministerial aides also resigned on Monday."

"Mahmood's comments follow a similar overture by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband in recent weeks. A Labour official said they believed several more Cabinet members were ready to tell the premier he needed to set a timetable for his departure. Starmer is due to chair a regularly scheduled meeting of his cabinet Tuesday morning."

"A turbulent day began with a speech by Starmer aimed at saving his premiership, after his party lost control of the Welsh parliament and almost three of every five English council seats it was defending on May 7. But the intervention fell flat among Labour lawmakers, doing little to improve his prospects of survival."

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the prime minister he should consider laying out a plan for a successor. The Home Office and No. 10 Downing Street declined to comment on the exchange. Mahmood joined more than 70 MPs urging the prime minister to step aside after Labour’s poor performance in local elections. Critics included ministerial aides and MPs, with speculation inside Labour about potential challenges to the prime minister, including from the health secretary. Several ministerial aides resigned on Monday. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband made similar calls recently, and Labour officials expected more Cabinet members to press for a timetable for departure. The prime minister attempted to save his premiership with a speech, but support did not improve, and financial markets reacted with currency and debt moves.

Read at Irish Independent