Amid intense pressure toresign, the UK Prime Minister weighs his options

The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, is reportedly “weighing up his options” after several senior cabinet ministers have joined calls for his resignation.

According to Sky News, the cabinet is divided over Starmer’s future, but at least four senior members have discussed the possibility of his stepping down.

Starmer’s resignation pressure stems from a deep rebellion within the governing Labour Party, triggered by disappointing local‑election results, declining approval ratings and discontent with his leadership direction.

Critics argue that Starmer has failed to improve the UK economy swiftly, mishandled immigration policy, and shifted ideologically in response to pressure from the right‑wing Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage. His tougher stance on migration and attempts to reset Labour’s agenda have also upset portions of his own base.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper are among at least four senior cabinet members who held private discussions with Starmer on Monday night, urging him to prepare a timeline for his resignation.

Other ministers, such as Housing Secretary Steve Reed and Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, are reported to support Starmer’s continued premiership. A cabinet meeting is scheduled for Tuesday morning, where the Prime Minister’s future may be decided.

The number of Members of Parliament calling for his resignation has now exceeded 70, including six cabinet‑member aides.

As of 10 p.m., Scottish Labour MP for Glasgow South Gordon McKee and Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley MP Tahir Ali have become the latest to demand Starmer’s resignation.

Several parliamentary private secretaries—top aides to cabinet members—have resigned from their voluntary roles in an effort to increase pressure on the Prime Minister.

Six PPSs have publicly called for Starmer to resign, with four explicitly confirming their resignations. Those resigning include aides to potential leadership candidate Wes Streeting and to senior ministers such as Mahmood and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

Number 10 has swiftly appointed six new ministerial aides to replace those who spoke out. It is understood that a number of MPs who have publicly opposed Starmer support a Streeting leadership bid.

Streeting is reported as one of the main potential candidates, alongside former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

However, some reports suggest a silent majority of MPs and ministers oppose removing Starmer. One cabinet minister told Sky News that there are concerns the Labour Party “is about to put itself out of power for a serious period of time by repeating the mistakes of the Tories,” referring to a prolonged struggle for a permanent leader.