In brief
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will face a leadership challenge from former minister Catherine West.
- West was born in Australia and is a dual Australian and British citizen.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, already grappling with the fallout from a significant loss in local elections, encountered another blow to his leadership when a former minister from Australia declared her intention to challenge him for leadership if no other candidates emerge.
Starmer’s Labour Party experienced its most severe local election losses for a governing party since 1995. This historic setback has led to increasing demands from within his own party for him to step down.
In a bid to stabilize his leadership, Starmer appointed two prominent Labour figures as advisers earlier this Saturday. He turned to former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and ex-deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman for support.
However, merely hours later, Labour politician Catherine West, who previously served as a minister, expressed her dissatisfaction in an interview with BBC Radio. She urged the cabinet to devise a strategy to replace Starmer by Monday, threatening to run for leadership herself if no plan materializes.
“If no leadership candidates come forward by tomorrow, I will submit my candidacy for the Leader of the Labour Party on Monday morning,” West declared.
West, who possesses dual Australian and British citizenship, was born and raised in Australia, adding an international dimension to the leadership contest.
As the extent of the defeat emerged, more than 20 politicians publicly and privately called on Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure. Asked whether he would stand down, he told British media that it was not the right thing to do.
“I’m not going to walk away from this,” he said earlier on Saturday.
Several Cabinet ministers said on Friday that they continued to support Starmer, who just under two years ago led Labour to a landslide national election victory, and an immediate challenge from the potential leadership rivals does not look straightforward.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham does not have the seat in parliament he needs to mount a challenge, and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has yet to fully resolve the tax issues that prompted her resignation from office last year.
Wes Streeting, currently health minister, is, like Starmer, tainted by the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States. Streeting was close to Mandelson who was sacked over his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Any candidate wishing to make a challenge would need to secure the public support of 20 per cent of Labour members of parliament. With Labour currently holding 403 seats, that equates to 81 backers.
West said she had 10 names behind her so far but her preferred option was that another candidate put themselves forward.
“I think there are several people who would like to do it who have been planning for months,” she said.
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.
