Sir Keir Starmer has told his cabinet that he is not resigning, during a showdown at Number 10. The Labour Party Prime Minister informed his cabinet that the process for changing leader in the Labour Party has not been triggered, and the country expects them to "get on with governing".
According to No 10, he said: "As I said yesterday, I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised. 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."
Support from Cabinet Members
Housing Secretary Steve Reed has issued a statement of support for the prime minister as the cabinet meeting in No10 is apparently ongoing. In a post on X, he wrote: "This is not a game. This instability has consequences for people's lives. The people who will be hurt most will be those that elected us less than two years ago. We must unite behind the prime minister."
Political Analysis
Discussing Starmer's statement, Sky News' Beth Rigby said: "I think that is saying 'Wes Steeting, if you want to challenge me, go ahead and challenge me.'" Starmer is "digging in" and telling the cabinet to do their job, while recognising the "depth of feeling in the party", Rigby added. "What he is saying is, I am not going to set a timetable for my departure... I'm not going to resign," she went on to say.
Ailbhe Rae, from the New Statesman, tweeted: "In other words: come and have a go if you think you're hard enough. Laying down the gauntlet to leadership rivals around the table."
