Dozens of Labour MPs have now called on Sir Keir Starmer to quit after a local election pummelling, writes Local Democracy Reporter, Daniel Holland.
Labour suffered huge losses at last week’s council elections, including in some historic heartlands across the North East. It lost control of councils including Newcastle, Sunderland, South Tyneside, and Gateshead, sparking fury among many MPs over the direction of the Government.
Below is a summary, at the time of publication, of what each of the Labour MPs representing the 20 Parliamentary constituencies across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and County Durham has said about Sir Keir’s position in the wake of the local election humiliation.
Joe Morris, Hexham
Has quit as Wes Streeting’s ministerial aide and called for the prime minister to set out a “swift” timetable to stand down. Earlier he had issued a statement urging the Government to “listen to the voices of progressive voters who chose to abandon Labour.”
Sam Rushworth, Bishop Auckland
Said on Saturday that he backed Sir Keir to stay. He said: “No government in history has been dealt a hand quite like this. Of course they’ve made some mistakes of both substance and communication – I’ve been the first to say so at times – but the answer isn’t more chaos and instability, it is listening, learning, and getting better…”
Alan Strickland, Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Yet to comment.
Luke Akehurst, North Durham
A backer of the Prime Minister who wants him to stay. He told the LDRS: “I am a strong supporter of the Prime Minister and deplore any calls for a leadership contest.”
Ian Lavery, Blyth and Ashington
Wants the Prime Minister to go and said on Monday that Sir Keir “needs to recognise and accept gracefully that his time as PM is over”.
He added: “The party stands at the political crossroads, we’re looking over the political precipice. We can change leader and leadership together and enact wholesale meaningful change that resonates with the public feeling, mainly on the cost-of-living crisis, or slowly die.”
Mary Kelly Foy, City of Durham
Said on Monday night that “apologies won’t cut it any longer” and called for the Prime Minister to step down.
Ms Foy said: “I know I might disappoint some Labour members by saying this, but we’ve reached an existential crisis. Labour lies on its death bed – with the only realistic cure being a change in direction and a change in leadership.
“The best thing that could happen now is for the Prime Minister to set out a clear timetable for his departure, and for the process of a fair and democratic leadership election to be agreed.”
Catherine McKinnell, Newcastle North
Has called on the Prime Minister to go. She released a statement on Monday afternoon saying it was “time for a new leader to take us to the finish line of this term and onto the next”.
Ms McKinnell said: “It’s vital we now see a swift and orderly transition so we can get on with delivering on our promise of change. The voting public have been crystal clear we have no time to lose.”
Chi Onwurah, Newcastle Central and West
Said after Friday’s local election results that Labour’s losses in Newcastle were “not a defeat for Newcastle Labour it was a defeat for the national party and we must reflect upon that”. She is yet to comment on Sir Keir’s future.
Mary Glindon, Newcastle East and Wallsend
Told the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Monday that Sir Keir should remain as Prime Minister but completely change his cabinet. She said: “If he wants to stay, he has to bring in people who are more in touch with what we promised people.”
Mrs Glindon added: “A leadership challenge deflects from what we should be doing, which is getting on and delivering for the country. I am ashamed that we are not.”
Emma Foody, Cramlington and Killingworth
Issued a statement after Friday’s election results saying that voters felt “let down” and that Labour must “deliver on what we promised”, but is yet to comment directly on the Prime Minister’s future.
David Smith, North Northumberland
Spoke out on Monday morning to warn that the Prime Minister must “set a clear timetable for his departure”.
Sir Alan Campbell, Tynemouth
Yet to comment. He currently holds the Government post of leader of the House of Commons.
Mark Ferguson, Gateshead Central and Whickham
Said in a statement after Friday’s election results in Gateshead that: “People are frustrated. Too many feel politics has not delivered enough change they can see in their daily lives. That message has been sent clearly, and it needs to be heard with humility and honesty.” Is yet to comment directly on the Prime Minister’s future, but holds the Government post of Assistant Whip.
Kate Osborne, Jarrow and Gateshead East
Has called on Sir Keir to go. She said on Monday: “Keir knows he will not lead the party into next year’s local elections let alone the next General Election, so for the good of the party he should set out when he will go now and announce a clear timetable for his departure.
“That cannot be a discussion between the current cabinet to pick a successor, we need a change of direction not just the leader and that change must be decided by our entire party, our members, our Councillors and those that just lost their seats, all of our MPs and of course our Trade Unions.”
Emma Lewell, South Shields
Stopped short of explicitly calling for Sir Keir’s resignation, but strongly criticised his speech on Monday. She said: “Fundamentally, the public does not trust the PM or the Government. Without trust you have nothing. In 2024 we won a General Election on the promise of change, we promised better, people believed us. They have been let down.
“People voted for change – they got more of the same. I feel desperately sad, angry, and frustrated today.”
Bridget Phillipson, Houghton and Sunderland South
Education secretary in Sir Keir’s cabinet, she said it would be wrong to change leaders now.
She told the BBC on Sunday: “I just do not believe that the message we should take from these elections is that we ought to spend time as a party amongst ourselves, arguing amongst ourselves, fighting amongst ourselves.”
Lewis Atkinson, Sunderland Central
Said in a Facebook post on Monday that voters “feel let down by some Government decisions and mistakes”, but is yet to comment directly on the Prime Minister’s future.
Sharon Hodgson, Washington and Gateshead South
Currently holds the post of minister for public health and prevention. Is yet to comment on the Prime Minister’s future, but posted a video of his speech on Monday on her Facebook account.
Liz Twist, Blaydon and Consett
Yet to comment.
Grahame Morris, Easington
Yet to comment.
Daniel Holland
Reporter for the Local Democracy Reporter Service.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
