THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Labour facing 'summer of discontent' with Starmer 'in limbo', claims SNP News | Politics Labour facing ‘summer of discontent’ with Starmer ‘in limbo’, claims SNP Dave Doogan was speaking in the wake of the latest ministerial departures from the UK Government. The SNP’s Dave Doogan said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s future is ‘in limbo’ (PA) Katrine Bussey 3 days ago Westminster is facing a “summer of discontent” with the future of both the Prime Minister and his Government “in limbo”, the SNP has claimed. Dave Doogan, the party’s Westminster leader, hit out at the “chaos” in the UK Government in the wake of the latest resignations from Sir Keir Starmer’s top team, claiming Labour is now “entering a full blown civil war”. He said: “Labour’s chaos means that Westminster is set for another summer of discontent – the public is left with a Prime Minister and a UK Government literally living in limbo.” His comments came as the PM’s fragile authority suffered a further blow earlier this week with the resignation of defence secretary John Healey, who claimed UK spending on defence “falls well short of what is required” to keep the country safe. That was quickly followed by Al Carns qu…

Keir Starmer Resigns: 5 Scenarios for What Happens Next ... By Newsweek Editors 0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Keir Starmer’s resignation has turned Britain’s political crisis into an open Labour succession fight. Less than two years after Labour’s landslide, he will step down as party leader and stay in Downing Street only until Labour chooses a replacement. There is no automatic general election: Britain’s prime minister is not separately elected, and Labour’s large Commons majority means his successor can take office without voters being asked again. But this masks deeper instability: The next prime minister will inherit a party losing ground to Reform UK, an economy with little fiscal room and a foreign-policy agenda shaped by Europe, Trump's Washington and Britain's strained defense commitments. Read More on Analysis Labour can govern, but no longer looks like the party commanding the country. Nigel Farage's Reform party leads many national polls and has broken through in local government . The Conservatives are fighting Reform for the r…

If things are not working, you must change tactics and personnel, says Labour MP By PA News Published: 08:04, 22 June 2026 | Updated: 09:10, 22 June 2026 If the Government is not working, “tactics and personnel” must change, a Scottish Labour MP has said. Brian Leishman – who represents the Alloa and Grangemouth seat at Westminster and has been a regular critic of Sir Keir Starmer’s Government – said that for Labour, “the bottom line is, it’s just not been good enough” since taking over after the 2024 election. The MP spoke to BBC Radio Scotland on Monday, as the Prime Minister appeared to be on the brink of resignation. Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister (Peter MacDiarmid/The Times/PA) “The first two years have been overshadowed by a catalogue of misjudgements, political missteps, a kind of smattering of scandal as well that’s lingered around Keir Starmer’s premiership. “It’s just not good enough. “After 14 years of austerity that has crippled and immiserated communities the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, people voted for change and people are not seeing that change or feeling that change quickly enough.” Pressure has been heaped on the Prime Minister following …

Labour Party Chaos: Westminster’s Summer of Discontent Labour Party Chaos: Westminster’s Summer of Discontent Share on Facebook Tweet Westminster is on the brink of another turbulent summer as the Labour Party grapples with internal chaos and a series of high-profile resignations. The political landscape in Westminster is once again in turmoil, with the Labour Party facing a wave of resignations and internal strife. The SNP has warned of a “summer of discontent,” as the future of the Prime Minister and his Government hangs in the balance. Dave Doogan, the SNP’s Westminster leader has criticized the “chaos” within the UK Government, stating that the Labour Party is “entering a full-blown civil war.” This internal conflict comes at a time when the public is already grappling with a deepening cost-of-living emergency . Resignations Rock the Labour Party The latest blow to the Prime Minister’s authority came with the resignation of John Healey the defence secretary , who argued that UK spending on defence “falls well short of what is required” to ensure the country’s safety. His departure was swiftly followed by the resignation of Al Carns as armed forces minister, along with two mini…

Labour facing ‘summer of discontent’ with Starmer ‘in limbo’, claims SNP By PA News Agency Share 0 Comments The SNP’s Dave Doogan said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s future is ‘in limbo’ (PA) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Westminster is facing a “summer of discontent” with the future of both the Prime Minister and his Government “in limbo”, the SNP has claimed. Dave Doogan, the party’s Westminster leader, hit out at the “chaos” in the UK Government in the wake of the latest resignations from Sir Keir Starmer’s top team, claiming Labour is now “entering a full blown civil war”. He said: “Labour’s chaos means that Westminster is set for another summer of discontent – the public is left with a Prime Minister and a UK Government literally living in limbo.” His comments came as the PM’s fragile authority suffered a further blow earlier this week with the resignation of defence secretary John Healey, who claimed UK spending on defence “falls well short of what is required” to keep the country…

Five moments it all went wrong for Starmer - The Week (Image credit: Illustration by Stephen P. Kelly / Getty Images) Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Whatsapp Pinterest Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Keir Starmer swept to power in July 2024 promising “change”, “national renewal” and a “return of politics to public service”. Less than two years later, his premiership is hanging by a thread as more and more of his own MPs and ministers break cover and call for him to go. At least 81 Labour MPs have so far called for the PM to step down and bring his troubled premiership to an untimely end. Here are five moments that have brought Starmer to the brink. Winter fuel U-turn Labour’s honeymoon was short-lived, with the Stockport riots and “ Freebie-gate ” dominating its first few months in power. But it was the early decision to introduce means-testing to winter fuel payments for older people that proved particularly toxic with voters still unsure about what Starmer and his party stood for. The Week Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple persp…

One year on from Labour's election win, it's navigating a tough path - CNBC It's been one year since Labour returned to power in a landslide victory that appeared to show the party had turned over a new leaf after 14 years in opposition. But the last 12 months have been nothing short of tumultuous for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.Big promises, especially on the economy, have failed to materialize and as a result, Starmer's popularity has plummeted in the polls. When he became prime minister a year ago, 44% of voterspolled by YouGovhad a favorable opinion of Starmer. By May this year, that figure had fallen to a record low of 23%, although his rating has improved since then, standing at 28% in June. The government's main mission was to kick start growth and make people better off but a year on, business optimism, productivity and job creation remain muted – pressured in part, by a rise in the national living wage and employers' national insurance contributions. Meanwhile, high borrowing costs and inflation continue to weigh on household finances. Despite the U.K. growing more than expected in the first quarter, economists expect it to get worse from here, especially as t…

The Revolving Door Of 10 Downing Street: Why No UK PM Stays For Long Keir Starmer's resignation will usher in Britain's sixth prime minister in just seven years. From Theresa May and Boris Johnson to Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and now Andy Burnham, UK politics has become a story of rapid leadership turnover. Written by : Shuchi Shukla Updated Jun 23, 2026, 11:57 IST Share When Keir Starmer walked to a lectern outside 10 Downing Street on the morning of 22 June 2026 and announced he would step down, he confirmed he would resign as prime minister once the Labour Party chooses a successor, conceding he had lost the confidence of much of his parliamentary party. He accepted that verdict, in his own phrase, "with good grace." Less than two years after a landslide, the man who promised stability had become the latest illustration of a peculiarly modern British phenomenon: the prime minister as a seasonal fixture, arriving in fanfare and departing before the term is up. The numbers tell the story. The UK is about to get its sixth prime minister in seven years - Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, Starmer, and now an incoming successor – Andy Burnham. The numbers tell the stor…

If things are not working, you must change tactics and personnel, says Labour MP By PA News Published: 08:04, 22 June 2026 | Updated: 09:10, 22 June 2026 If the Government is not working, “tactics and personnel” must change, a Scottish Labour MP has said. Brian Leishman – who represents the Alloa and Grangemouth seat at Westminster and has been a regular critic of Sir Keir Starmer’s Government – said that for Labour, “the bottom line is, it’s just not been good enough” since taking over after the 2024 election. The MP spoke to BBC Radio Scotland on Monday, as the Prime Minister appeared to be on the brink of resignation. Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister (Peter MacDiarmid/The Times/PA) “The first two years have been overshadowed by a catalogue of misjudgements, political missteps, a kind of smattering of scandal as well that’s lingered around Keir Starmer’s premiership. “It’s just not good enough. “After 14 years of austerity that has crippled and immiserated communities the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, people voted for change and people are not seeing that change or feeling that change quickly enough.” Pressure has been heaped on the Prime Minister following …

Civil War Hits Labour Party MPs Question Starmers Leadership - HuffPost UK A famous GIF has been doing the rounds on Labour WhatsApp groups in the last couple of weeks. Taken from a comic strip by KC Green, it shows a dog called Question Hound sitting at a table with a cup of coffee, ignoring the fact that the room he is sitting in is on fire. Above him is the legend ‘THIS IS FINE’. For many Labour MPs, the image perfectly sums up No.10′s attitude towards the multiple crises facing the government. Advertisement It is less than a fortnight since Keir Starmer launched “phase two” of his government with a major shake-up of his No.10 team. In an accompanying video posted on X, the prime minister said the government was going into the new parliamentary term “in good spirits, confident and with conviction”. Since then, the PM has lost his deputy, been forced into a major cabinet reshuffle and had to sack the UK ambassador to Washington he personally appointed against the advice of Foreign Office officials. Advertisement Clearly, things in No.10 are very far from fine. The 'this is fine' gif is doing the rounds in Labour circles. Multiple Labour MPs contacted by HuffPost UK say morale am…

Dozens Of Labour M Ps Urge Starmer To Quit - HuffPost UK Keir Starmer delivering his make-or-break speeck. Carl Court via Getty Images Keir Starmer is clinging on to power despite dozens of Labour MPs joined calls for him to quit as prime minister. Nearly 60 backbenchers had called on him to quit by Monday evening after a steady stream of MPs joined the rebellion despite Starmer delivering a speech pledging to turn around the party’s fortunes. Advertisement In a further blow for the embattled PM, ministerial aides to health secretary Wes Streeting, home secretary Shabana Mahmood and environment secretary Emma Reynolds all quit their jobs calling on him to resign. Starmer once again vowed not to “walk away” from No.10 and said he would prove the doubters wrong, despite Labour’s drubbing in last week’s elections at the hands of Reform UK and the Greens. He said: “This is nothing less than a battle for the soul of our nation and I want to be crystal clear about how we will win it because we cannot win as a weaker version of Reform or the Greens. Advertisement “We can only win as a stronger version of Labour, a mainstream party of power, not protest.” Starmer confirmed the government …

Keir Starmer Warned His Fall In 2026 Will Spark 'The Real Nightmare ... Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Keir Starmer Instagram Photo As Britain edges towards 2026, a growing number of political observers believe the Prime Minister's position is becoming increasingly fragile. The question in Westminster is no longer whether Keir Starmer can steady his leadership, but whether he can realistically make it through the year and what sort of government might follow if he cannot. Starmer entered Downing Street promising stability after years of Conservative turmoil. Yet critics across the political spectrum now describe a leader struggling to command authority, hemmed in by party divisions and a restless activist base that appears dissatisfied even with historic levels of state intervention. A Leadership Critics Say Lacks Authority Starmer cuts a peculiarly hapless figure at the helm of government. It speaks volumes about the state of Britain's establishment that a man of such demonstrably limited talents was deemed suitable for the Director of Public Prosecutions – one of the nation's most senior legal positions. Though the British electorate entrusted him with the keys to Number 10, sever…

Political crisis grips UK as Keir Starmer faces down MPs over spill Politics Federal Need to Know Live Print article Natasha Rudra , Timothy Moore , Sam Irvine and Jesinta Burton Updated May 12, 2026 – 9.29pm , first published at 12.43am Key Posts 9.28PM — May 12, 2026 That’s a wrap 8.53PM — May 12, 2026 Starmer stares down rivals but leadership still in doubt 7.41PM — May 12, 2026 Ministers start leaving cabinet meeting 7.16PM — May 12, 2026 What you need to know: Crisis in British politics as PM faces call for spill 6.58PM — May 12, 2026 Starmer vows to stay put as UK PM 6.48PM — May 12, 2026 Six cabinet ministers reportedly tell Starmer to quit Advertisement Go to latest Pinned post – 9.28PM – May 12, 2026 That’s a wrap Share post Copy link Copied Email LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Copy link Copied Share via... Thank you for reading the Need to Know blog with our live coverage of breaking news. That’s all from us tonight. Here is a recap of the main stories for today: Treasurer Jim Chalmers has handed down the government’s most ambitious budget since its election in 2022, abolishing negative gearing for existing houses bought after Tuesday night. British Prime Minister Keir Starme…

Mahmood and Cooper 'call for Starmer to quit'... alongside 70 others ByJASON GROVES, POLITICAL EDITORandSAM LAWLEY, NEWS REPORTERandJAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITORandDAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR Published:15:46 EDT, 11 May 2026|Updated:08:11 EDT, 12 May 2026 3.5k Viewcomments Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood andForeign SecretaryYvette Cooper are leading calls forKeir Starmerto quit, sources say, as the Prime Minister 'weighs up his options'. Sir Keir's premiership is in freefall as Cabinet ministers demand he set out a timetable to resign. Several key figures in the Government are said to have visited No 10 on Monday night with Defence Secretary John Healey among those telling the PM to go. Deputy Prime MinisterDavid Lammyand Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds are currently advising Sir Keir as he starts 'weighing up the options' amid a growing mutiny,Sky Newsreports. Dozens ofLabourMPs have now called on Starmer to resign after a last-ditch fightback speech failed to quell a growing mutiny. On Monday, Labour sources said a delegation of senior ministers had gone in to No 10 to tell him his time is up. Further face-to-face calls are expected at Tuesday morning's me…

From landslide to leadership crisis: where did it all go wrong for Keir ... Sean Aidan Calderbank/Shutterstock The failure of many of the UK’s recent prime ministers, who have passed through Downing Street in quick succession, seems easy to explain. Theresa May couldn’t do what she promised and didn’t “get Brexit done”. Boris Johnson broke his own rules, and the law. Liz Truss failed through sheer incompetence. But Keir Starmer won an election by a landslide and led his party to victory after 14 years out of power. So why is he looking at a probable leadership challenge after less than two years in office? It is true that Starmer faced deep problems left by the Conservatives, Brexit and COVID. He then had to deal with the war in Gaza, a capricious US president in Donald Trump, and now a war in Iran. But Starmer’s struggles boil down to a failure of leadership. US political scientist, Ronald Heifetz, has written that political leadership is about disappointing your followers at a “rate they can stand”. His fellow American scholar, Richard Neustadt , argued that leadership (in the case of presidents) was about “the power to persuade”. Keir Starmer has struggled because he disappoint…

If things are not working, you must change tactics and personnel, says Labour MP By PA News Agency Share 0 Comments Brian Leishman was speaking on Monday (UK Parliament/PA) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. If the Government is not working, “tactics and personnel” must change, a Scottish Labour MP has said. Brian Leishman – who represents the Alloa and Grangemouth seat at Westminster and has been a regular critic of Sir Keir Starmer’s Government – said that for Labour, “the bottom line is, it’s just not been good enough” since taking over after the 2024 election. The MP spoke to BBC Radio Scotland on Monday, as the Prime Minister appeared to be on the brink of resignation. Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister (Peter MacDiarmid/The Times/PA) “The first two years have been overshadowed by a catalogue of misjudgements, political missteps, a kind of smattering of scandal as well that’s lingered around Keir Starmer’s premiership. “It’s just not good enough. “After 14 years of austerity that h…

From Landslide to Exit: How Keir Starmer Became Britain's Shortest ... How Keir Starmer became Britain's shortest-lived political miracle Number 10, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons/Wikimedia Commons Just two years ago, Sir Keir Starmer appeared untouchable. After leading Labour to a commanding victory in the 2024 general election, Starmer returned the party to power for the first time since 2010, ending 14 years of Conservative-led government. Few political figures in modern Britain had engineered a turnaround as dramatic. Yet on 22 June 2026, Starmer announced he would step down as both prime minister and Labour leader, bringing an abrupt end to one of the shortest premierships in recent British history. His departure came after months of internal unrest, poor election results, and growing concerns among Labour MPs that he could no longer lead the party into the next national contest. The Rise that Rebuilt Labour Starmer inherited a Labour Party that had suffered a crushing defeat in 2019 and faced questions about its future direction. Over the following years, he focused on restoring discipline, repairing Labour's public image, and presenting the party as a credible alternativ…

Keir Starmer fires third senior aide within a year Credit AP News UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to replace Nin Pandit as private secretary, marking the third senior Downing Street exit in less than 12 months. As reported by The Telegraph, the Prime Minister is expected to remove his third senior aide from his Downing Street team. Who’s the third senior aide exiting Keir Starmer’s office? Ninjeri Pandit, a former NHS chief of staff, was appointed the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary in October. The Labour leader raised concerns over her performance and is considering relocating her to another position in Number 10 . The Prime Minister’s principal private secretary oversees the flow of information and often attends major policy decisions. How has Keir Starmer’s first year led to multiple aide exits? Ms Pandit’s exit from Mr Starmer’s senior team follows the departure of Baroness Gray as chief of staff within the first 100 days in office. Sir Keir’s communications director, Matthew Doyle, resigned in March after facing criticism over Downing Street’s media handling. The Prime Minister has faced a difficult first year, currently t…

How Starmer went from Labour Party hero to calling it quits within 2 ... British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has admitted defeat, resigning less than two years after leading his party to a massive victory in 2024 LONDON --British Prime MinisterKeir Starmerwon his job after leading his party to a massive victory in 2024.Less than two years later, he resigned as his party rebelled in the wake of widespread losses in local elections. Starmer's popularity plunged amid a struggling economy, a series of policy missteps, one particularly poor appointment and a perceived lack of vision. The combination of challenges led to a thrashing for his Labour Party in local elections this spring and calls to step down that cleared a path for a would-be challenger to step forward and ultimately force him aside Monday. This is a look at how his short-lived premiership unraveled. Starmer'scoronation on July 4, 2024ushered in an optimism for Labour as it captured 411 of 650 seats in Parliament and drove out the Conservative Party after 14 years of rule. It was a massive turnaround from historic losses in the previous election. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Starmer would never be forgotten f…

Burnham's Britain? Why the U.K. Is Set to Get Its Seventh Prime ... It has become an all too familiar ritual in the United Kingdom. A somber Prime Minister emerges, delivers a list of achievements in office—some real, others less so—and then accepts the game is up. To applause from staff gathered on the pavement, and amid much emotion, the Prime Minister turns, waves, and heads back inside No. 10 to serve the remaining days of another failed U.K. premiership. It was Keir Starmer’s turn to partake in this ritual on Monday. Just weeks after the Labour Party’s poor performance in local polls, he announced his resignation , clearing the way for Britain to get its seventh Prime Minister in 10 years. Starmer, a stellar lawyer before entering politics in 2015, failed to inspire or articulate a convincing plan to revive a country held back by creaking, unreformed public infrastructure and an unproductive economy . Despite convincingly winning the country’s last general election, his resignation, announced 10 years to the week after Britain’s Brexit vote , opens the way for Andy Burnham , the newly sworn-in Member of Parliament (MP) for Makerfield, to become the new Prime Minister. Outside…

Fightback starts, says Keir Starmer ally after 'High… - inkl Sir Keir Starmer chaired a political Cabinet meeting as he sought to right his crisis-hit Government after surviving a day of “peril” to his premiership. The Prime Minister agreed with his senior ministers to allow more “political” input into key Government decisions as he tried to unite his top team behind him after an eruption of Labour civil war. He was also seeking to repair relations withScottish leader Anas Sarwar after he called on him to resign. On a visit to Hertfordshire, Sir Keir stressed that he would “never walk away from the mandate I was given to change this country”. His words are likely to be seen as a warning to senior Labour figures, including Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting, that he will fight any future attempts to oust him. With the Gorton and Denton by-electionon February 26 looming, the PM added: “The fight coming up in politics, the real fight is not in the Labour Party. “It's with the right-wing politics that challenges that, the politics of Reform, the politics of divide, divide, divide, grievance, grievance, grievance.” But Westminster was still reeling from the Labour infighting which …

Labour facing 'summer of discontent' with Starmer 'in limbo', claims ... Labour facing ‘summer of discontent’ with Starmer ‘in limbo’, claims SNP By PA News Agency Share 0 Comments The SNP’s Dave Doogan said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s future is ‘in limbo’ (PA) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Westminster is facing a “summer of discontent” with the future of both the Prime Minister and his Government “in limbo”, the SNP has claimed. Dave Doogan, the party’s Westminster leader, hit out at the “chaos” in the UK Government in the wake of the latest resignations from Sir Keir Starmer’s top team, claiming Labour is now “entering a full blown civil war”. He said: “Labour’s chaos means that Westminster is set for another summer of discontent – the public is left with a Prime Minister and a UK Government literally living in limbo.” His comments came as the PM’s fragile authority suffered a further blow earlier this week with the resignation of defence secretary John Healey, who claimed UK spen…

If things are not working, you must change tactics and personnel, says Labour MP By PA News Agency Share 0 Comments Brian Leishman was speaking on Monday (UK Parliament/PA) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. If the Government is not working, “tactics and personnel” must change, a Scottish Labour MP has said. Brian Leishman – who represents the Alloa and Grangemouth seat at Westminster and has been a regular critic of Sir Keir Starmer’s Government – said that for Labour, “the bottom line is, it’s just not been good enough” since taking over after the 2024 election. The MP spoke to BBC Radio Scotland on Monday, as the Prime Minister appeared to be on the brink of resignation. Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister (Peter MacDiarmid/The Times/PA) “The first two years have been overshadowed by a catalogue of misjudgements, political missteps, a kind of smattering of scandal as well that’s lingered around Keir Starmer’s premiership. “It’s just not good enough. “After 14 years of austerity that h…

Starmer just delivered the 'longest resignation speech in history' No products in the basket. Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has slammed current Labour leader Keir Starmer over hisconferencekeynote – calling it the ‘longest resignation speech in history’. Starmer took to the podium on Tuesday 30 September. AsBBC Newsreported, the PM and Labour leadermade most of his speechabout taking aim at Nigel Farage’s Reform Party: Throughout the conference, Labour ministers and MPs have attacked Reform and framed its fight with the party in existential terms. In his speech, the prime minister reinforced that message, telling the party faithful the country faced a stark choice between “renewal or decline”. “It is a test,” Sir Keir said. “A fight for the soul of our country, every bit as big as rebuilding Britain after the war, and we must all rise to this challenge.” Calling out the Reform UK leader by name, Sir Keir asked: “When was the last time you heard Nigel Farage say anything positive about Britain’s future? “He can’t. He doesn’t like Britain. Doesn’t believe in Britain.” In these spiky comments, Sir Keir was pointedly naming Farage as the principal opponent in the “f…

End Of The Keir Show: How Senior Labour Figures Now Believe Starmer Is ... Morgan McSweeney , prime minister Keir Starmer’s most trusted adviser, was sent out to bat for his boss this week. The No.10 chief of staff went to committee room 4A in the House of Lords to face Labour peers, field their questions and explain how he and the PM plan to dig the government out of the deep hole in which it finds itself. Advertisement More than 80 of them turned up, including party grandees like former leader Neil Kinnock, George Robertson and Margaret Hodge. As one peer present pointed out to HuffPost UK, they are not generally the toughest of crowds. “We listen to what people have to say and politely applaud afterwards,” he said. “It’s not exactly Friday night at the Glasgow Empire.” Nevertheless, it did not go well for McSweeney or, by extension, Keir Starmer. One peer said: “It was like a car crash in slow motion. If you’re going to come down from No.10 to see us, you need to come out fighting, say this is the mess we inherited, this is what’s going wrong and this is how we’re going to fix it. Advertisement “But t here was no energy, no ideas and he didn’t have any answers to our questions.…

If things are not working, you must change tactics and personnel, says Labour MP By PA News Published: 08:04, 22 June 2026 | Updated: 09:10, 22 June 2026 If the Government is not working, “tactics and personnel” must change, a Scottish Labour MP has said. Brian Leishman – who represents the Alloa and Grangemouth seat at Westminster and has been a regular critic of Sir Keir Starmer’s Government – said that for Labour, “the bottom line is, it’s just not been good enough” since taking over after the 2024 election. The MP spoke to BBC Radio Scotland on Monday, as the Prime Minister appeared to be on the brink of resignation. Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister (Peter MacDiarmid/The Times/PA) “The first two years have been overshadowed by a catalogue of misjudgements, political missteps, a kind of smattering of scandal as well that’s lingered around Keir Starmer’s premiership. “It’s just not good enough. “After 14 years of austerity that has crippled and immiserated communities the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, people voted for change and people are not seeing that change or feeling that change quickly enough.” Pressure has been heaped on the Prime Minister following …

Finally! Starmer slams broken Brexit promises - and eyes 'closer ties ... LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 7: Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves 10 Downing Steet to take Prime Minister's Questions on May 7, 2025 in London, England. Starmer is facing PMQ's after the Labour Party suffered losses in local elections and a by-election last week, while Reform UK made significant gains. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) Keir Starmer has issued one of his fiercest critiques of Brexit and its proponents, lashing out at the false promises made by Vote Leave campaigners both before and after the 2016 referendum result. He’s also declared his willingness to align the UK more closely with the EU single market. Speaking to Laura Kuenssbergon Sunday, he attacked both Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson, for attempting to fix the country with ‘slogans and easy answers’. He singled out claims about the NHS – and a certain red bus – alongside unsubstantiated forecasts about Brexit and immigration. However, the Prime Minister also hinted that he’d be open to hitting the accelerator on the proposed UK-EU ‘reset’ talks, which somewhat stalled in 2025. Although the reintroduction of the Erasmus scheme was confirme…

Monday briefing: What’s next for no-drama Starmer as his ‘political challenges’ pile up? <p>In today’s newsletter: Our senior political correspondent talks about how the coming days and weeks may unfold for the Labour government, and how Keir Starmer ended up the most unpopular prime minister in memory</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global/2022/sep/20/sign-up-for-the-first-edition-newsletter-our-free-news-email">• Don’t get First Edition delivered to your inbox? Sign up here</a></p><p>Good morning. Today’s the day, probably. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/21/keir-starmer-expected-exit-plan-clear-way-andy-burnham-become-pm">Keir Starmer is expected to announce</a> that he will step down as prime minister, after overwhelming pressure from Labour MPs to make way for Andy Burnham to become party leader.</p><p>This follows the Manchester mayor’s emphatic victory in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/andy-burnham-wins-makerfield-byelection-paving-way-labour-leadership-challenge">last Thursday’s Makerfield byelection</a>, where he leveraged his popularity and the prevailing anti-Starmer mood to secure more votes than Reform and R…

Which Labour MPs are calling for Starmer to go - and who is still ... Photo: House of Commons/Flickr Share this article: Close to 100 Labour MPs are calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign or announce a timetable for his resignation after the party performed dismally in local and devolved elections. Labour has lost control of more than 30 councils across England, along with around 1,500 councillors, while the party has been reduced to a rump in Wales, with First Minister Eluned Morgan losing her seat in the Senedd. Scottish Labour has failed to make any significant headway against the SNP, with their vote share down on the last election in 2021. As of 10am on Friday, 97 Labour MPs are now calling for the Prime Minister’s resignation. Suspended Labour MPs Diane Abbott and Karl Turner have also called for Keir Starmer to resign. If a leadership contest is triggered, Abbott and Turner would be unable to make a PLP nomination, but would be able to vote in a ballot of all party members. Keir Starmer has remained defiant, with a government source claiming that the Prime Minister is “not listening” to demands for his resignation, with 111 Labour MPs signing a statement of suppor…

Why the forces that felled Keir Starmer threaten so many ... Keir Starmer announces his resignation as British Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party, outside No.10 Downing Street in London, on June 22, 2026. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images UK Donald Trump See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was felled by a curse haunting most Western leaders — a failure to deliver change to voters who’ve lost trust in the capacity of modern politics to make their lives better and more affordable. Starmer, who announced his resignation Monday only two years after winning a parliamentary landslide, was unable to push through his program in an era of political chaos, stigmatized institutions and wrenching economic disruption. He’s not alone. From the UK to Germany to France to the United States, leaders tap voter anger to get elected and promise to restore prosperity. But once in power, they often find it impossible to fulfill their promises, after failing to free-up entrenched political systems, control their parties, counter global economic forces or to overcome the cacophony of politics in the age of social media. Their shortcom…

All Keir Starmer's government U-turns in one place - POLITICO LONDON — If there’s one thing Keir Starmer has mastered in office, it’s changing his mind. The PM has been pushed by backbenchers, political opponents and pressure groups toward a flurry of about-turns since entering Downing Street just 18 months ago. Starmer’s vast parliamentary majority hasn’t stopped him feeling the pressure — and has meant mischievous MPs are less worried their antics will topple the government. Advertisement POLITICO recaps 13 occasions MPs, and other pressure groups, mounted objections to the government’s agenda — and forced the PM into a spin. Expect this list to get a few more updates… Student loans British graduates have been on the warpath over their spiraling student debt piles. Soaring interest rates have left a cohort of voters in their 20s and early 30s — the first to be hit by an early 2010s overhaul of university funding — frustrated at sizable monthly repayments not touching the sides of what they owe. Under the terms of their loans — known as “plan two,” and issued between 2012 and 2023 — students agreed to repay 9 percent of their salary over a threshold set by the Treasury. The terms…

UK: Labour leadership battle? Ministers reportedly urge Keir Starmer to step down Reports from British media say that Ministers from inside Keir Starmer's government are privately asking the PM to step down. One of the least popular Prime Ministers in British history, his Labour Party lost nearly 1500 seats in local elections last month. Meanwhile, Andy Burnham's victory in a special election on Friday has set the stage for a potential Labour Leadership challenge. Story by Caroline Baum.

Labour facing ‘summer of discontent’ with Starmer ‘in limbo’, claims SNP By PA News Agency Share 0 Comments The SNP’s Dave Doogan said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s future is ‘in limbo’ (PA) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Westminster is facing a “summer of discontent” with the future of both the Prime Minister and his Government “in limbo”, the SNP has claimed. Dave Doogan, the party’s Westminster leader, hit out at the “chaos” in the UK Government in the wake of the latest resignations from Sir Keir Starmer’s top team, claiming Labour is now “entering a full blown civil war”. He said: “Labour’s chaos means that Westminster is set for another summer of discontent – the public is left with a Prime Minister and a UK Government literally living in limbo.” His comments came as the PM’s fragile authority suffered a further blow earlier this week with the resignation of defence secretary John Healey, who claimed UK spending on defence “falls well short of what is required” to keep the country…

Labour facing ‘summer of discontent’ with Starmer ‘in limbo’, claims SNP By PA News Agency Share 0 Comments The SNP’s Dave Doogan said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s future is ‘in limbo’ (PA) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Westminster is facing a “summer of discontent” with the future of both the Prime Minister and his Government “in limbo”, the SNP has claimed. Dave Doogan, the party’s Westminster leader, hit out at the “chaos” in the UK Government in the wake of the latest resignations from Sir Keir Starmer’s top team, claiming Labour is now “entering a full blown civil war”. He said: “Labour’s chaos means that Westminster is set for another summer of discontent – the public is left with a Prime Minister and a UK Government literally living in limbo.” His comments came as the PM’s fragile authority suffered a further blow earlier this week with the resignation of defence secretary John Healey, who claimed UK spending on defence “falls well short of what is required” to keep the country…

Dispatch from London: Starmer's exit, Brexit, and what comes next for ... People walking over Westminster Bridge in central London on June 22, 2026. (Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire via Reuters Connect) LONDON—Ten years after the Brexit referendum that took the United Kingdom out of the European Union, the overwhelming impression of a visit to today’s London is of a country with a huge divide between its people and its politicians. During my recent visit, Andy Burnham, the social media–friendly mayor of Manchester, won a by-election that brought him into Parliament and allowed him to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the party leadership and top office. Starmer has now decided to go peacefully by resigning, and it seems there will not be a contested leadership election. Burnham is expected to become prime minister in the phenomenally short time of three weeks, by mid-July. This leaves him minimal time for developing both a team and policies suited for managing Britain’s post-Brexit slump. Yet, if the past two years show anything, it is that Labour is as likely to engage in internecine warfare now as the Conservatives before it, with Labour colleagues just as responsible for Starmer…

Labour facing 'summer of discontent' with Starmer 'in… - inkl Westminster is facing a “summer of discontent” with the future of both thePrime Ministerand his Government “in limbo”, theSNPhas claimed. Dave Doogan, the party’s Westminster leader, hit out at the “chaos” in the UK Government in the wake of the latest resignations from Sir Keir Starmer’s top team, claimingLabouris now “entering a full blown civil war”. He said: “Labour’s chaos means that Westminster is set for another summer of discontent – the public is left with a Prime Minister and a UK Government literally living in limbo.” His comments came as the PM’s fragile authority suffered a further blow earlier this week with the resignation of defence secretary John Healey, who claimed UK spending on defence “falls well short of what is required” to keep the country safe. That was quickly followed by Al Carns quitting as armed forces minister, along with two ministerial aides. They are the latest resignations to hit the Government over the course of recent weeks, following the departure of health secretaryWes Streetingand a number of junior figures who left their posts in the wake of Labour’s bruising election defeats…

British PM Keir Starmer faces growing calls for resignation after ... Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the pledge Monday, referencing members of his own party and among the electorate as a whole as he tries to fight off demands to step down after devastating local election results for his Labour Party. Today’s live updates have ended. Read what you missed below and findmore coverage at apnews.com. What to know: Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer sits beside David Lammy, Deputy Prime Minister, as he delivers remarks at the top of the Cabinet meeting to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine at Downing Street in London, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, Pool) David Lammy, the deputy prime minister, has urged lawmakers to step back from calling for Starmer to step down and to stop benefiting their political rivals. Starmer “has my full support, and what I say to colleagues is, look, let’s just step back. Take a breath,” Lammy told reporters. “Let’s get on with the business of running this country.” “I urge colleagues to step back and not benefit Nigel Farage and Reform,” he added, referring to the hard-right, anti-immigration party…

Starmer suspends seven rebel MPs including McDonnell over two-child ... Keir Starmer has suspended seven Labour MP s after they voted, against the government, to scrap the two-child benefit cap . Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, ex-business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussain and Zarah Sultana have been suspended from the parliamentary party. The move will be seen as a show of strength by the new prime minister after he easily saw off the first rebellion of his premiership, by 363 votes to 103, a majority of 260. Recommended Keir Starmer wins two-child benefit cap crunch vote despite Labour MP rebellion - live Pressure mounts on Labour over smartphones after survey raises concerns on usage by children Labour suspends MPs who defied Government in two-child benefit cap vote In a bid to head off a larger revolt on the issue, ministers had said on Monday that they would consider ditching the “cruel” policy. But, just hours before the vote, the new work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said the government had to do “the sums” before it could commit to abolishing the limit. open image in gallery Keir Starmer is under growing pr…

The revolving door at Downing Street: Starmer's exit and the ten-year ... The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation outside Downing Street on Monday, his voice breaking as he thanked his family before conceding that his party no longerbelievedhe was "best placed to lead us into the next general election”. The timing was almost too neat. As Britainmarksten years since the Brexit referendum, Starmer becomes the latest prime minister unable to hold on to power, joining a post-Brexit procession of leaders that includes David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. No prime minister who served before the 2016 referendum has remained in office since then. Cameron resigned within weeks of the vote he called and lost. Every leader who followed him, regardless of party, has left office within roughly two years. A decade later, the pattern looks like the price of Brexit itself. The vote unsettled British politics in ways the country still hasn't recovered from, and each government since has been swept away by that instability, according to political analyst and communications strategist Klaus Jurgens. “I do not think this is primarily about in…

Labour was not prepared to govern in 2024, says Morgan McSweeney <p>PM’s former chief of staff opens up on political mistakes and Donald Trump’s amusing comments about foxes</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jul/02/keir-starmer-apology-forced-adoption-labour-andy-burnham-uk-politics-latest-news-updates">UK politics live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s former chief of staff, has said Labour was not prepared enough for government or for the volatile world when Keir Starmer was first elected.</p><p>McSweeney, who had been Labour’s elections guru credited by many in the party for the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2024/jul/05/eleven-charts-that-show-how-labour-won-by-a-landslide">size of their victory in 2024</a>, said the party did not have an idea about how to make things happen quickly for people who wanted change.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/02/labour-was-not-prepared-to-govern-in-2024-says-morgan-mcsweeney">Continue reading...</a>