Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves 10 Downing Street in London on April 20, 2026, to face a showdown in Parliament over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington. ALASTAIR GRANT / AP
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer gathered his top team for crunch talks Tuesday, May 12, as he suffered new resignations and calls mounted from ministers and MPs for him to step down. More than 70 of Labour's 403 members of parliament have now called for Starmer to quit immediately, or to set out a timetable for his resignation. Miatta Fahnbulleh on Tuesday became the first junior minister to quit over Starmer's case.
His vow Monday to fight on and prove his doubters wrong did little to stem moves to oust him. Starmer told a cabinet meeting on Tuesday no leadership challenge has been "triggered" and that "the country expects us to get on with governing," his office said. Interior minister Shabana Mahmood on late Monday became the most senior government figure to advise Starmer to consider his position, UK media reported. Newspapers reported that other senior ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Secretary of State Yvette Cooper, had spoken to Starmer about his position.
