Starmer tells cabinet he will not quit without leadership challenge

"As I said yesterday, I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised, he told a cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning. The past 48 hours have been destabilising for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families. The Labour party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered. The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet."

"Starmer convened the cabinet as at least 10 more MPs called on the prime minister to set a timetable to depart, taking the total to more than 80. The communities minister Miatta Fahnbulleh became the first minister to quit, on Tuesday morning, with more resignations expected. Darren Jones, Starmer's chief secretary, said the prime minister was listening to colleagues who were asking him to set out a timetable for departure but would make his own decisions about the way forward."

"He warned the prime minister's rivals that it was a gruelling job. 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, he said. Fahnbulleh, who is close to the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, said she would urge the prime minister to do the right thing for the country and the party and set a timetable for an orderly transition."

Starmer told his cabinet he would not resign as prime minister, saying the leadership challenge threshold had not been triggered. He said he would take responsibility for election results and for delivering promised change, and argued that government destabilisation has an economic cost for the country and families. More than 80 MPs called for a timetable for his departure, and additional resignations were expected. Miatta Fahnbulleh became the first minister to quit, urging an orderly transition and a timetable. Darren Jones said Starmer was listening to colleagues but would make his own decisions. Starmer’s rivals were warned that the job is gruelling and not easily fixed by a new leader.

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