Close Starmer ally declines to say if he will lead Labour into next election

"Anybody who thinks that they can just walk into the job of prime minister and, like the second coming of the messiah, fix all of our problems probably hasn't really thought carefully enough about how difficult it is."

"Asked if Starmer would be leading Labour into the next election, Jones said: I'm not going to get ahead of any decision that the prime minister may or may not take. Darren Jones: He was very clear yesterday that he will not be walking away.' Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing/Getty Images He was very clear yesterday that he will not be walking away, as some of my colleagues have asked him to do."

"We've got over 400 Labour MPs in the House of Commons. I think there are now 70 who have raised concerns publicly. Starmer on the brink as cabinet ministers urge him to quit The Guardian understands that four senior cabinet ministers Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, John Healey, the defence secretary, and the deputy prime minister, David Lammy were among those who spoke to Starmer on Monday."

"Some told the prime minister he should oversee an orderly transition of power after crushing election defeats risked ringing the death knell on his premiership. Others discussed with Starmer how they should take a responsible, dignified, orderly approach to what may follow."

More than 70 Labour MPs have publicly called for Keir Starmer to step down after poor election results across England, Wales, and Scotland. Darren Jones, a close ally, said he would not speculate on whether Starmer would lead Labour into the next election and emphasized that Starmer had been clear he would not be walking away. Jones warned rivals that becoming prime minister is a gruelling job and cannot be treated as a simple fix for problems. The prime minister’s chief secretary said Starmer is listening to colleagues urging a timetable for departure but will make his own decisions. Several senior cabinet ministers spoke to Starmer about an orderly transition and a responsible approach to what may follow.

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