Catherine West backs down from leadership challenge but calls on Starmer to go by September
West will not launch her own challenge and will instead seek Labour MPs’ backing for Starmer to set a resignation timetable after the local election losses.
- Labour MP Catherine West began canvassing colleagues yesterday to support a timetable for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's resignation, abandoning her own leadership bid after deeming his reset speech insufficient.
- West concluded Starmer's speech offered "the renewed energy and ideas" but was "too little too late" after local election results failed to inspire confidence in the current political direction.
- Speaking to BBC Radio, West suggested a cabinet reshuffle where Starmer assumes an international role, arguing the party needs "more of a street fighter" because voters have stopped listening.
- West has no specific successor in mind, keeping the process open and allowing MPs time to consult their Constituency Labour Party as she works to "get the ball rolling."
- The effort aims to secure an "orderly transition" with West testing the temperature of the PLP, though she insists her role was limited to initiating discussion rather than determining outcomes.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Changing the leader won’t save Labour – or the country
The well-intentioned but hapless Labour backbencher, Catherine West, spent the weekend warning that if she didn’t like Keir Starmer’s speech she’d launch a leadership challenge in a bid to flush out more serious candidates. In the end, she backed down, but has called for a transition ...
How Labour Could Remove Keir Starmer As PM
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing unprecedented pressure over his leadership following the Labour Party’s stunning loss in local elections. Labour backbench MP Catherine West backed down from her threat to trigger a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer – but still calls on him to quit as prime minister.After heavy Labour losses in Thursday’s elections, West said she would attempt to begin a leadership contest if a minister didn’t…
West launches ‘Burnham-friendly’ bid to oust Starmer
Labour MP Catherine West is still urging Keir Starmer to set a timetable for resignation. Shortly after the May 2026 local elections, West made it clear that she would challenge Starmer, even if nobody else would. Starmer: too little, too late On the first Monday after the elections, Starmer made a speech clearly intended to steady the ship. However, West was less than impressed: I have listened to the prime minister’s speech this morning. I we…
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