~80 Labour MPs Publicly Call for Starmer's Resignation After Historic Election Losses

In the immediate aftermath of Labour's historic local election defeat on 7 May 2026, approximately 80 Labour MPs publicly called for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign or to set a firm date for his departure. Labour MP Catherine West — a former Foreign Office minister — gave a media interview publicly calling on a Cabinet minister to challenge Starmer's leadership, while stopping short of launching a personal bid. Westminster sources described the situation as an open leadership crisis, with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham all named as potential successors. Starmer continued to insist he would remain as Prime Minister, stating the government needed time to deliver on its reform programme. The scale of the rebellion — with backbenchers and former ministers going public — was described by political analysts as unprecedented in the early years of a new Labour government.