Challenge Starmer by Monday or I will, Labour MP tells cabinet

"West said her preferred option would be for the cabinet to “reorganise themselves” and put forward their “best communicator” to replace Sir Keir, avoiding a leadership election. She said she would attempt to trigger a contest if she did not hear from a leadership hopeful by Monday, and that she was putting the cabinet “on notice” after devastating election results. She said she would ask Labour MPs to back her to trigger a contest if no challenge emerged."

"“My preferred option is for the cabinet to do a reshuffle within itself, where there's plenty of talent, and for Keir to be given a different role, which he might enjoy, perhaps an international role,” the MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet told Radio 4's PM programme. “Then for others to come to the fore who can communicate the message, who are very able, so we can have minimum fuss.”"

"For this to happen, 20% of Labour MPs 81 people would have to back her. West said she currently had 10 MPs prepared to back her in a leadership bid but she was “confident” enough people would come forward to trigger a contest. She said she was not trying to become Labour leader herself, but her plan could tempt others to launch a leadership bid."

"Cabinet Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said he would “caution colleagues” against her proposal. “We've seen over the past 10 years now, what happens when a party in government just starts chopping and changing leaders,” he told the programme. “It just generates instability and it militates against a focus on delivery.”"

Catherine West said she would attempt to trigger a Labour leadership contest if no cabinet minister challenges Keir Starmer by Monday. Her preferred approach is for the cabinet to reorganise internally by moving Starmer to a different role and elevating the best communicator to replace him, avoiding a leadership election. After Labour’s election results, she said she was putting the cabinet on notice and would ask Labour MPs to back her if she did not hear from a leadership hopeful. Triggering a contest would require support from 20% of Labour MPs. West said she currently had 10 MPs prepared to back her and was confident more would come forward. Nick Thomas-Symonds cautioned against changing leaders, warning it would create instability and distract from delivery.

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