Labour faces a “challenge” in Thursday’s elections across England, Wales and Scotland, Sir Keir Starmer has acknowledged, amid reports that MPs are already plotting to oust him for fear of heavy losses for the party.
The majority of people care about the cost-of-living crisis when casting their ballot, the Prime Minister said, as he insisted the Government would aim to fulfil its “duty” to the public to protect them from rising costs caused by the war in the Middle East.
Sir Keir made the remarks at a Labour campaign rally in south London on Tuesday, amid reports that his backbenchers are reported to be drafting a letter blaming him for the expected loss of hundreds of council seats across England, and calling on him to set a date for his resignation.
The move would echo the drafting of a round-robin letter by normally loyal Labour MPs in 2006 that contributed to Tony Blair announcing he would step down within 12 months.
At the campaign event, Sir Keir was asked how he could convince voters to support his party in Thursday’s election, as it faces a slump in opinion polls.
The Prime Minister replied: “As you can see, we’ve got a fantastic Labour team working every single day in London and across the country, campaigning with fantastic councillors and candidates and with a very positive message.
“Of course, it’s going to be a challenge, but it is really important we go in fighting for every vote, which has to be earned, in relation to this.”
He added: “We know that whatever is going on in the world, whatever is going on in politics, the thing that people care about, are most concerned about, is the cost of living.
“So it’s really important that we as a Government keep our focus on the cost of living, and in particular just at the moment, make sure that although we’re not going to get drawn into the war in Iran – I’ve been really clear about that – but we have a duty, and we must protect the British public from the impact of that, and that’s what I’ll continue doing.”
Earlier, Communities Secretary Steve Reed warned Labour MPs against “doomscrolling” through leaders even if the party suffers heavy losses in Thursday’s elections.
Mr Reed – one of Sir Keir’s strongest allies – said he was not aware of plans for the letter, adding MPs were “sick and tired of all this psychodrama”.
Cautioning against any move to oust the Prime Minister, Mr Reed told Times Radio it was “absolute nonsense” to suggest Labour would “copy the Conservatives and go doomscrolling through leaders”.
He added: “I’m not going to engage in it and most of our MPs would not engage in that either.”
Reports of backbench plans to move against Sir Keir after the local elections come amid rumblings of a potential leadership tilt by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner or Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
Allies of Ms Rayner are confident she would be able to gain the support of the 81 MPs required to launch a challenge – a number which Mr Streeting is also said to have met, though neither are said to want to be the first to move.
Meanwhile, Mr Burnham has been tipped as a party favourite to succeed the Prime Minister but he would have several logistical obstacles to clear before even returning to Westminster should he seek to mount a bid for No 10.
Writing in The Observer at the weekend, Sir Keir urged his party not to repeat the Conservative Party mistake of “descending into political infighting”.
“We have a choice. We could sink into the politics of grievance and division. Or we could rise to this moment – together – in a national effort that matches the scale of the threats and turbulence we face,” he said.
“When the nation rallied together to deal with Covid, the last government could have channelled that spirit to build a better nation. But instead, they descended into political infighting and let the country slump back to the old status quo. Not this time.”
