Another crunch moment for Starmer as he pleads with Labour MPs not to topple him

"It feels like the Prime Minister has to give the speech of his life today. Those within the Labour Party who want to see him succeed acknowledge that you can't change everything in one speech. But it is clearly imperative for Sir Keir Starmer to try to calm down a party that is hurting and anxious. Many Labour MPs have spent the weekend observing the politically scorched earth around them locally their friends and colleagues in local and devolved government wiped out. There are fraught emotions and there is anger."

"And for the last few days now there has been the drip, drip of revolt, with Labour MP after Labour MP coming out publicly to say Starmer has to go. With every one, a little more of the Prime Minister's authority drains away. Incidentally, don't underestimate what a big deal it is for any individual MP to go over the top and say their boss should go not least because, for now at least, those that have done so are a tiny fraction of the total number of Labour MPs."

"And it was his name up in lights as their leader when many of them won their seats for the first time, and often in parts of the country where Labour rarely if ever win. So to say now, out loud, that you think he is a dud is a big deal. Wherever you look in the Labour Party right now there are knots of anxiety. Firstly, there is anxiety in Downing Street, of course. They are acutely aware of what is at stake."

"Secondly, there is anxiety among the potential challengers, weighing up if, when or whether to go for it. Timing can be everything: get it right, and the premiership can be yours. Get it wrong, and what might be your only chance to be Prime Minister is gone. Thirdly, there is anxiety among the many, many Labour MPs keeping their heads down and who really don't want the Prime Minister to leave right now, nor for there to be a leadership contest."

Keir Starmer must deliver a decisive speech to calm a Labour Party marked by anger and anxiety. Labour MPs have seen local and devolved government colleagues wiped out, creating fraught emotions. A steady stream of Labour MPs has publicly called for Starmer to go, and each statement reduces his authority. Even though only a small fraction of MPs have made such demands, the impact is significant because Starmer’s leadership name helped many win seats. Anxiety exists in Downing Street, among potential challengers considering whether and when to challenge, and among MPs who want to avoid a leadership contest. Timing is crucial for any leadership bid.

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