Catherine West threatens Labour leadership contest over Starmer
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 9
Catherine West threatens Labour leadership contest over Starmer
11 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 9
West gave cabinet ministers until Monday, saying she has 10 MPs ready but needs 81 to trigger a contest after Labour lost more than 1,400 English council seats.
Around 30 Labour MPs have publicly urged Starmer to go or set a timetable, though ministers including Nick Thomas-Symonds and Mike Tapp warned a challenge would deepen instability.
Labour also suffered heavy losses in Wales and Scotland as Reform UK and the Greens advanced, while Starmer plans a reset speech next week and has enlisted Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman as advisers.
With top challengers facing tax probes or lacking a seat, who could realistically unite the fractured Labour party?
Is ousting Starmer the answer, or is Labour's voter base now permanently fractured among five rival parties?
Labour Party Faces Leadership Crisis After Losing Over 1,800 Councillors in 2026 Local Elections: Starmer Under Threat, Reform UK Surges
Overview
Following devastating local election losses, Labour MP Catherine West threatened to trigger a leadership contest against Sir Keir Starmer, intensifying pressure on the party’s leadership. Her move is seen as a 'stalking horse' tactic, aiming to test Starmer’s support and potentially destabilize his position, much like Sir Anthony Meyer’s challenge to Margaret Thatcher in 1989. To formally launch a contest, a challenger must secure 81 MP nominations and submit them to the party’s general secretary. This internal turmoil, combined with fears of a potential coup and mounting criticism of Starmer’s leadership, has deepened Labour’s crisis and raised questions about its future direction.