Wes Streeting resigns from Starmer's cabinet amid leadership challenge: 'It's clear you won't lead Labour into next general election'

"“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered. The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet.”"

"“None of that mattered, said Corbyn. His mandate to lead the party came from ordinary members, not MPs. He was duly re-elected by those members in the face of a challenge by a rival MP.”"

"“In a parliamentary system, the authority of a party leader or prime minister comes from parliament itself. A prime minister is appointed if he or she enjoys the confidence of a majority of the House of Commons. Therefore, when a prime minister ceases to enjoy that majority, he cannot continue as prime minister.”"

"“The constitution does not care about internal party machinations or democracy; it cares only whether an MP can justifiably claim to have the confidence of the house. No party leader who has lost the confidence of his MPs can continue in the job: this is an essential, irrefutable rule.”"

A growing rebellion against leadership has prompted a firm response to cabinet members, emphasizing that the Labour Party’s internal process for challenging a leader has not been triggered and that governing must continue. The stance is compared to a prior Labour leadership crisis in which resignations and a no-confidence vote followed continued leadership. That earlier leader claimed a mandate from ordinary members rather than MPs. The constitutional principle described is that parliamentary authority derives from the House of Commons’ confidence. When a prime minister loses that confidence, continued service is not justified. The constitution is said to disregard internal party democracy and focus only on whether MPs can claim confidence of the house.

Read at Irish Independent