Keir Starmer to Chair Cabinet meeting– Keir Starmer will chair Tuesday’s cabinet meeting following a turbulent period marked by calls for his resignation, asserting he is “not prepared to walk away” amid political turmoil.
The prime minister’s leadership has been tested after a dramatic 24 hours, with the departures of chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and chief communications director Tim Allan.
Despite these challenges, Starmer has been emboldened by the support of his cabinet and deputy Angela Rayner. “I have won every fight I’ve ever been in,” Starmer told Labour MPs.
“I fought to change the Crown Prosecution Service so it better served victims of violence against women and girls. I fought to change the Labour Party to allow us to win an election again. People told me I couldn’t do it. And then they gradually said, you might just get over the line. We won with a landslide majority. Every fight I’ve been in, I have won.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar issued a public call for Starmer to resign, describing the recent events as a time in which “too much has happened” and insisting that Starmer’s leadership “cannot continue.” “No one knows or hears the good things – they are being drowned out,” Sarwar said.
This Anas Sarwar resignation call represents a significant challenge to the prime minister, despite Sarwar also noting that Starmer is “a decent man.”
Labour MP Jenny Chapman expressed her disappointment with Sarwar, saying, “It’s for him to really think about whether he wants to stand by what he said or how he wants to handle that. The leader of UK Labour doesn’t fire the leader of Scottish Labour, that is not how we work. It’s for the members of Scotland.”
Support for Starmer has also come from senior colleagues such as Ed Miliband, who praised the prime minister’s response to a “very, very damaging episode.” Miliband said, “I think what Keir has done, by taking responsibility and showing that there needs to be change, is shown a determination to fulfil the mandate on which he was elected. And I think the job of all of us is to support him to do that.”
Miliband described Starmer’s address to MPs as evidence of his Keir Starmer leadership: “It was a different Keir last night. It was a more liberated Keir. It was the Keir I know. Decency, integrity. He knew what he was fighting for with great clarity.” He added that Sarwar had “made a wrong judgment” with his call for resignation.
On the government’s policy direction, Miliband rejected Wes Streeting’s claims of “no growth strategy,” saying, “I think that actually, Rachel has done a very good job as chancellor. We’ve seen the stability that is essential. We’ve seen the investment I’m announcing today… That’s only possible because of the decisions Rachel’s made.”
The cabinet has shown clear backing for Starmer, demonstrating Labour cabinet support after the resignation calls. Sources note that the prime minister’s authority now rests on his ability to confront the culture of power around him: “If he is not prepared to confront the process that put him in No 10, his leadership is already over.”
The departures of McSweeney and Allan, combined with the anticipated exit of senior civil servant Chris Wormald, represent a significant Downing Street shake-up.
One government source reportedly described Wormald’s appointment as “disastrous,” signalling Starmer’s determination to reassert control over his team and government.
Addressing public dissatisfaction, Miliband acknowledged, “People are right to be angry over the Labour government’s record in office. We’ve made mistakes in policy which have drowned out the many good things we’re doing as a government.”
He praised Starmer’s resolve, adding, “Keir put it well last night. He said: ‘Look, I recognise it’s not just a Peter Mandelson appointment. We’ve made mistakes in policy which have drowned out the many good things we’re doing as a government… And I think what I saw from here last night was someone who wants to seize this moment and make it a moment of change, to reconnect with the country.’”
On transparency, Labour MP Darren Jones commented, “The government is committed to being transparent on the Mandelson appointment,” signalling the administration’s intent to rebuild trust and accountability.
Starmer’s determination to remain in office and confront both internal party issues and public expectations highlights his resilience. As he prepares to chair the cabinet meeting, the prime minister made clear: “I am not prepared to walk away.”
Read more here: Keir Starmer not prepared to walk away amid Labour leadership crisis
