The number of MPs calling for Starmer to go is exploding

Labour politicians have been calling for Keir Starmer to step down since the party’s disastrous local election results. Starmer hoped to turn the tide with yet another refresh followed by yet another speech, but the revolt is only growing:

🚨 IN FULL: The list of 51 Labour MPs currently calling for Keir Starmer to resign

Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth)
David Baines (St Helens North)
Paula Barker (Liverpool Wavertree)
Apsana Begum (Poplar and Limehouse)
Clive Betts (Sheffield South East)
Olivia Blake…

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) May 11, 2026

And growing:

🚨 UPDATE: The number of Labour MPs calling for Keir Starmer to resign has now risen to 54

Catherine McKinnell and Alan Gemmell have both made statements in the last few minutes

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) May 11, 2026

Labour is revolting

On 8 May, Canary journalist HG reported on the MPs who’d called for Starmer to go, with the list including Ian Lavery, Ed Miliband, and Jonathan Brash (not to mention several union leaders). On 10 May, things took a surprising turn, with Josh Simons calling for Starmer to go. We say ‘surprise’ because Simons was a member of Labour Together, which is the faction that maneuvered Starmer into power.

The backlash isn’t limited to MPs, either. On 9 May, over one hundred former Labour councillors demanded that Starmer go (the reason they’re ‘former’ councillors is because they lost their seats under Starmer). Their letter read:

It is with sadness and deep regret that we, the undersigned former and present Labour councillors, Members of the Senedd, Members of the Scottish Parliament and 7th May candidates from across the UK, write to encourage you to take full responsibility for our party’s electoral defeats this week, announce a timetable for your departure, and allow an orderly transition to new leadership for the country.

Obviously, Starmer has to take sitting MPs more seriously than former councillors. He also has to take ministers more seriously than MPs, which is something we could shortly see. As Dan Hodges reported:

Multiple sources within the major camps:

* The dam has now collapsed. We will see MPs across the PLP signing up to the “Timetable” strategy.

* Will effectively be a No Confidence motion.

* When the “magic number” of 81 names is reached multiple cabinet ministers will tell Starmer he has to set out a timetable.

* I’m told some of those messages from the cabinet may already be being sent.

It’s usually the case that MPs stagger calls for the leader to go to ensure the maximum impact. As such, it’s possible the threshold of 81 has already been met, and we’re just waiting for the declarations to come out.

Hodges also said:

* Fight will now come down to whether Starmer can be persuaded to set out a short timetable (favoured by Wes Streeting) or the September timetable (favoured by Andy Burnham).

Starmer seems to be more ideologically aligned with Streeting. At the same time, Streeting has been angling to replace the Labour leader despite the PM making him health secretary, so you can possibly assume some resentment on Starmer’s part.

Other reports suggest MPs lack any confidence in there being an orderly transition:

Thoughts from a Labour MP:

“We have to face up to the fact every single one of them is fucking useless. Andy’s strategy has been a disaster. Angela bottled it. Ed clearly a hiding to nothing. Wes AWOL. God knows what Catherine West is doing. Not quite sure how we ended up here.”

— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) May 11, 2026

West-ern intervention

Catherine West is the MP who threatened to launch a leadership challenge against Starmer if no one else did. This is what she said after the PM’s speech:

The results last Thursday show that the PM has failed to inspire hope. What is best for the party and country now is for an orderly transition.

— Catherine West (@CatherineWest1) May 11, 2026

I want to thank everyone who has been in contact over the weekend to offer good wishes. We need our best top team in place to fight the next election. We owe working people up and down the country nothing less.

— Catherine West (@CatherineWest1) May 11, 2026

Obviously, this timeline is in line with what Andy Burnham’s camp wants. Burnham still has to become an MP before he can challenge Starmer, however, which could be a problem for him:

Exclusive: Green Party sources tell me they would "throw the kitchen sink" at winning a by-election in Manchester in which Andy Burnham is allowed to stand.

Party sources told me they would plan to “hit [Burnham] very hard from his left”. @newstatesman pic.twitter.com/JpKTFcxsFL

— megan kenyon (@meganekenyon) May 11, 2026

Burnham does have an advantage other Labour figures don’t, however, which is that he’s not them:

Andy Burnham is the only senior Labour figure with a net positive poll rating amongst the British public.

He is far more popular than his own party and best placed to win over Reform and Green voters. pic.twitter.com/F2gkxRZE0M

— Taj Ali (@Taj_Ali1) May 9, 2026

And reports suggest he’s ready to go:

Apparently Andy Burnham has told backers he has a plan and a seat.

But no MP resignation yet!

All eyes on this..

— Kate Ferguson (@kateferguson4) May 11, 2026

Starmer-geddon

Starmer may have lost the public; he may have lost his MPs and councillors; he may be on the verge of losing his cabinet, but he hasn’t lost Britain dullest client journalist, Beth Rigby:

ANALYSIS: Starmer clearly listening to his party. Tries to step up the emotion and the passion. But so wanting when it comes to matching his rhetoric of urgency to policy offer. Next 24 hours going to be very precarious as MPs weigh up what to do https://t.co/6sTPEiWhOe

— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) May 11, 2026

If Starmer was “clearly listening to his party”, he would have gone months ago.

Featured image via Mukhtar