Keir Starmer called members of the cabinet on Friday afternoon to set out his determination to fight on, as loyalists told him he has the weekend to set out a timetable for his exit. Ministers say the prime minister faces being forced out by the party if he does not act, with one calling his departure inevitable.
Burnham's Momentum Builds
Andy Burnham, who won a compelling majority in the Makerfield byelection overnight, is expected to travel to London on Monday to meet MPs in the expectation of becoming prime minister within weeks. One cabinet minister, who has not previously told the prime minister to go, said his departure was now inevitable.
One MP said they believed there were about 200 Labour MPs prepared, if necessary, to sign Burnham's nomination papers for a challenge, though his supporters are hoping for a coronation.
Cabinet Concerns
Starmer called members of the cabinet on Friday afternoon to set out his determination to fight on. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, is said by sources to be among those who expressed concerns in a call on Friday. At least two ministers, Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood, have previously suggested to Starmer that he should set out a timetable for his departure.
Other ministers are expected to press Starmer on whether fighting a leadership contest would be wise. Another cabinet source said: "Everyone thinks it is over and everyone wants it to be a dignified, orderly exit."
Pressure Mounts
Several cabinet ministers expressed a desire to show loyalty, while adding the caveat that they knew the situation made it very difficult for the prime minister to continue. But another said: "There comes a point where you ask: what is more important? Is it loyalty or delivering your agenda? There are big agendas at stake here and those who don't see which way this is going are going to inevitably end up looking like they were the last ones in the bunker."
Two Labour grandees, David Blunkett and Harriet Harman, have also said there should be a timetable for new leadership. Senior Labour sources said they believed that if Starmer did not resign over the weekend, or indicate that he would allow a transition to a new leader, then there would be an intervention at Tuesday's cabinet meeting.
Starmer's Allies Push Back
But some of Starmer's closest allies said he had the most agency, despite Burnham's momentum, because Burnham was seeking to avoid the internally damaging move of mounting a leadership challenge. "In the aftermath of the locals, it was Keir who actually held all the cards. Burnham's people do not want a contest, they want Keir to do what Burnham wants," one said. "Well, that's up to Keir if he decides he wants to do that and he actually does not have to do anything they want."
A pro-Starmer memo circulating among loyalist MPs shows the attack arguments the prime minister and his team would be likely to make in a leadership campaign. The memo, seen by the Guardian, says: "[Burnham] hasn't faced any real scrutiny yet. A true contest would expose him to questions that he hasn't ever before had to answer and likely see his support wane as a result."
Alternative Candidates Emerge
MPs who are loyal to the prime minister say they are determined to prevent a Burnham coronation and are prepared to rally round Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, as an alternative. "I expect Darren to be loyal to the last," one said. "But if the PM were to stand down, then he's got the numbers."
Support for Jones has been gathering among MPs who signed a loyalist letter backing Starmer in May. A source close to Jones said: "Darren agrees with the prime minister that now is not the time for a leadership election."
Burnham's Victory Speech
In his victory speech, Burnham said the result "could be a turning point" and that people had "voted for change. They have voted for more power for the north and everywhere forgotten by Westminster."
