Political situation in the UK

Transport minister urges Starmer to resign: Would be best for the country

Keir Starmer's transport minister Heidi Alexander has urged the prime minister to resign, reports the Financial Times.

According to several sources to the newspaper, Alexander is said to have told Starmer that it would be best for both the country and the Labour Party if he stepped aside.

Earlier in the day, The Times reported that several ministers are expected to urge Starmer to resign.

The information comes after Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham won the by-election in Makerfield. The victory means that he can now formally challenge Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party.

Information: Ministers to urge Starmer to resign

Several ministers are said to have told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer this afternoon that his time in power is over, according to information to The Times.

According to the information, the ministers will also demand that Starmer present a timetable for a change of leadership.

This comes after Andy Burnham won the by-election in Makerfield, which was a prerequisite for formally starting a process to challenge Starmer for the party leadership.

Analysis: “The King in the North” could become Britain’s next Prime Minister

Labour politician Andy Burnham is described as the “King in the North” – and he could soon be the one to challenge British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership.

After winning the by-election in Makerfield, he is now taking his seat in parliament in London, where his ambitions seem to extend beyond a regular role as a member of parliament.

– It would now be surprising if it does not end with Burnham representing Britain on the world stage as the country's next prime minister – the sixth in ten years, writes The Guardian's Alexandra Topping in an analysis.

She describes him as a charismatic politician who has previously tried to take over the leadership of Labour. But the path to replacing Starmer is not obvious. In order to challenge for the party leadership position, Burnham must first secure the support of at least 80 of Labour's MPs.

At the same time, The Telegraph's Charles Moore writes that a Burnham coup would be devastating both for the Labour Party and for Britain.

– When parties appoint a prime minister without having received a mandate in a general election, they put their own interests before those of the voters. Voters see through that, he writes.

Moore believes that a change of leadership without a new election risks deepening political distrust and further weakening Labour's position.