Catherine West backs down from Starmer challenge but urges him to go by September

"I have listened to the prime minister's speech this morning. I welcome the renewed energy and ideas. However, I have reluctantly concluded that this morning's speech was too little, too late. The results last Thursday show that the prime minister has failed to inspire hope. What is best for the party and country now is for an orderly transition. I am hereby giving notice to No 10 that I am collecting names of Labour MPs to call on the prime minister to set a timetable for the election of a new leader in September."

"Under Labour rules, at least 81 MPs, or 20% of the total parliamentary party, need to back a challenge for one to happen. This means West's plan to simply gather names calling for a future contest would have no force under the rules, but would instead act as a de facto no-confidence vote."

"West announced on Saturday that she would seek to gather the 81 Labour MPs' names needed to formally challenge Starmer, saying this was just a device to tempt others to stand and that she did not wish to take over. In a statement released after Starmer's speech on Monday morning in which he said he would fight on despite terrible results for Labour in elections last week, West called for an orderly process for Starmer to depart."

"The prospect of a longer timetable would allow time for Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, to potentially return to parliament and join the contest although after his speech, Starmer said whether he would be allowed to do"

Catherine West, Labour MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet, shifted from collecting names for a formal challenge to Keir Starmer’s leadership. She said she wants an orderly transition and called on the prime minister to set a timetable for a new leader election in September. West previously announced plans to gather the 81 Labour MPs required under Labour rules to trigger a leadership challenge, describing the effort as a way to encourage others rather than to take over herself. After Starmer’s Monday speech, she said the response was too little, too late, and that the election results showed he failed to inspire hope. Her revised approach could reduce urgency and allow time for potential rivals to consider bids.

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