Labour MP says she will trigger leadership contest by Monday if cabinet does not launch challenge – ask it happened

From 2h agoWest vows to seek to trigger Labour leadership contest

Labour MP Catherine West said she will seek to trigger a leadership contest if a cabinet minister does not launch a challenge to the prime minister by Monday.

West, previously a junior Foreign Office minister, said that if no leadership hopeful makes it known that the cabinet will seek to remove Keir Starmer, she will try to get the necessary signatures herself to trigger a leadership contest.

The MP for or Hornsey and Friern Barnet told the BBC’s PM programme: “I’m putting people on notice – if I don’t hear by Monday morning of some leadership hopefuls, I will be asking everybody in the Parliamentary Labour Party to put a name against my name, because we need to get this ball rolling.

“But my preferred option is for the Cabinet to do a reshuffle within itself, where there’s plenty of talent and for Keir to be given a different role, which he might enjoy, perhaps an international role, and then for others to come to the fore, who can communicate the message, who are very able, so we can have minimum fuss.”

Labour majority in Lewisham to take control of their third London council.","elementId":"f28f1756-fc30-4538-9518-0143f95b4061"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

The party won a majority by winning 30 of the first 39 results to be announced, with Labour taking just nine.","elementId":"32bb5ee3-1319-496a-a40d-f4b90f61b3ab"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

The successful Green candidates included Liam Shrivastava in Crofton Park Ward, although he will give up his council seat after winning the Lewisham mayoral election on Friday.","elementId":"b3f98fc8-b751-464f-8470-7dd61582ca85"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Labour had 50 seats on the previous council and the Greens only four, and Lewisham became the 12th London council where Sir Keir Starmer’s party lost control, with Hackney and Waltham Forest also being taken by the Greens.","elementId":"fa1a81f8-e326-48e2-a201-aa0cb4fd2af4"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

The Conservatives won Westminster, while Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Haringey, Lambeth, Newham, Southwark and Wandsworth all slipped into no overall control.","elementId":"e7096f27-7359-4be9-b20a-50e0e0968f2f"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1778352172000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"20.42 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1778352222000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"20.43 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1778352222000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"20.43 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"20.43","title":"Greens win control of their third London council","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Sat 9 May 2026 20.43 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Sat 9 May 2026 09.58 CEST"},{"id":"69ff75fc8f08d0fd2ca4ba28","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"\n \n

Labour MP Catherine West said she will seek to trigger a leadership contest if a cabinet minister does not launch a challenge to the prime minister by Monday. West, previously a junior Foreign Office minister, said that if no leadership hopeful makes it known that the cabinet will seek to remove Keir Starmer, she will try to get the necessary signatures herself to trigger a leadership contest.\n \n

Welsh Labour has announced Ken Skates will serve as its interim leader. Eluned Morgan resigned from the role yesterday after losing her seat in the Senedd. Skates will serve as leader until a timetable is set for a full leadership election, the party said.\n \n

Labour has lost control of Bradford council to continue the bad news for the party in Yorkshire. Reform UK cannot take control but were expected to be the largest party after taking 29 of the first 75 seats to be declared, with Conservatives on 18 and Labour on 15.\n \n

Labour has lost control of Lambeth council, pushing the party out of power in the London borough for the first time since 2006. Labour won 26 of the 63 seats in the face of a Green party surge. The Greens won 29 seats, becoming the largest party, with Liberal Democrats on eight.\n \n

The majority of Labour members say they do not believe Keir Starmer can turn around the party’s fortunes, while 45% say the prime minister should step down. Andy Burnham, was the first preference for 42% of members, who were asked to rank their preferred successor. Several Labour MPs – especially those who are close to Burnham – told the Guardian they would like to see a timetable for Starmer to stand down in an orderly and dignified way, including allowing the mayor of Manchester time to seek a parliamentary seat.\n \n

MPs from Labour’s left are expected to urge Ed Miliband to consider a leadership bid in the coming days, as Keir Starmer faced the prospect of a definite challenge from his MPs next week.\n","elementId":"d37e5e99-0fa5-443d-b358-a33ed52e5f3b"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1778349564000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"19.59 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1778349682000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"20.01 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1778349683000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"20.01 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"20.01","title":"A summary of today's developments","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Sat 9 May 2026 20.43 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Sat 9 May 2026 09.58 CEST"},{"id":"69ff6a0a8f087a8ca712ebf8","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Aspire has won the Tower Hamlets council election to secure an overall majority in the only London borough where it stands.","elementId":"b02a4d36-6b17-430a-85a1-feefbd1a5409"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

The party secured 23 of the first 31 seats to be declared in east London, enough to take back control.","elementId":"f83a8f69-332f-4811-9f4a-7fda060c6984"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Aspire won 24 seats in the last council election in 2022, but later lost two to defections.","elementId":"279dad0f-fc6f-4d19-98b7-016e06d71610"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Labour has won four seats, the Greens two and the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives one each.","elementId":"60d4f8f6-e37b-4c4e-bb8d-35b5a3ad0c50"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Aspire leader Lutfur Rahman was re-elected as Tower Hamlets mayor on Friday with almost 39% of the votes.","elementId":"0cf3bf43-44fd-46b1-8bd5-5f0b87b4b8fe"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1778346506000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"19.08 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1778346518000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"19.08 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1778346518000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"19.08 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"19.08","title":"Aspire wins Tower Hamlets council election","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Sat 9 May 2026 20.43 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Sat 9 May 2026 09.58 CEST"},{"id":"69ff5f818f08f695b7fc0b47","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Labour MP Catherine West said she will seek to trigger a leadership contest if a cabinet minister does not launch a challenge to the prime minister by Monday.","elementId":"8ad15904-2357-4f5f-9b7d-3864d6595597"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

West, previously a junior Foreign Office minister, said that if no leadership hopeful makes it known that the cabinet will seek to remove Keir Starmer, she will try to get the necessary signatures herself to trigger a leadership contest.","elementId":"005a5d54-b871-4adf-a841-59549051d088"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

The MP for or Hornsey and Friern Barnet told the BBC’s PM programme: “I’m putting people on notice – if I don’t hear by Monday morning of some leadership hopefuls, I will be asking everybody in the Parliamentary Labour Party to put a name against my name, because we need to get this ball rolling.","elementId":"2cdc1124-6780-480b-87b2-ddd4c55bb47a"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Labour has lost control of Bradford council to continue the bad news for the party in Yorkshire.","elementId":"0d9fa74f-53e0-4da7-85b3-d4459283f679"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Reform UK cannot take control but were expected to be the largest party after taking 29 of the first 75 seats to be declared, with Conservatives on 18 and Labour on 15.","elementId":"9470ac85-096b-4c8f-9d3f-a82433690eb7"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Reform UK ended more than 50 years of Labour rule in Barnsley and also took Calderdale and Wakefield from Labour, which also lost control of Leeds.","elementId":"7ee0bd36-942c-49cc-ac6a-f9c746e933ee"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1778340581000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"17.29 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1778341010000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"17.36 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1778341010000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"17.36 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"17.36","title":"Labour loses control of Bradford council","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Sat 9 May 2026 20.43 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Sat 9 May 2026 09.58 CEST"},{"id":"69ff43eb8f08d0fd2ca4b8a6","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Labour has lost control of Lambeth council, pushing the party out of power in the London borough for the first time since 2006, PA reports.","elementId":"f8e75165-2b01-4e22-9691-effd9d6a401b"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Labour won 26 of the 63 seats in the face of a Green party surge.","elementId":"f553d217-c035-42f0-a0ad-194a8ab116f3"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

The Greens won 29 seats, becoming the largest party, with Liberal Democrats on eight.","elementId":"ee4b6459-8542-442d-9e2a-f4f8b7cba2d5"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

The result means Lambeth is the eighth London council previously run by Labour moving to no overall control.","elementId":"314493d9-a98f-4462-81d8-225565cacc9a"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

The Greens previously had just four seats in Lambeth, with Labour on 54.","elementId":"44dc09ae-ad25-4c7b-8b4a-ab571625d567"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1778336747000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"16.25 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1778337941000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"16.45 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1778337265000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"16.34 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"16.34","title":"Labour loses control of Lambeth council","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Sat 9 May 2026 20.43 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Sat 9 May 2026 09.58 CEST"},{"id":"69ff3dbe8f08d0fd2ca4b875","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

This had been the most unpredictable Scottish election for more than a decade, with a record number of undecided voters, and one defined by public apathy and frustration, writes Libby Brooks and Severin Carrell.","elementId":"62418b06-1fa9-42e0-bb25-0a617f83952f"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Long before the final votes were counted in Scotland, veteran Labour politicians said it was a defeat made in Downing Street.","elementId":"9e7390df-a0fb-4f51-a069-9955d579f79f"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

When the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, strode into the Glasgow count arena on Friday afternoon flanked by sombre-faced activists, the scene was a mirror image to the same venue in 2024, when his resurgent party won 36 seats from the Scottish National party, playing a significant part in Keir Starmer’s landslide victory.","elementId":"3244834b-8f03-41ff-a9cb-ebc26f54992c"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Two years later, Starmer’s unpopularity proved an insurmountable obstacle for Sarwar, despite record donations to Scottish Labour and a formidable electoral machine, honed over the past five years. And with only a handful of constituencies declared, he decided to concede defeat before the real scale of Labour losses across the country was known.","elementId":"01ea7861-a578-46b8-910b-775047284181"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

More than 12 hours later, when the final regional results were declared after 1am, it was clear that Holyrood politics had been upended. Scottish Labour had tied in second place behind the SNP with Reform UK, the party that previously attacked Sarwar’s loyalty to Scotland in a racist ad. And a party that the SNP leader, John Swinney, has described as an acute threat to devolution.","elementId":"95bec382-e07c-4bbd-8e86-ee93539994f1"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Welsh Labour has announced Ken Skates will serve as its interim leader.","elementId":"9e365f78-8624-4618-9772-4ce68723cff2"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Eluned Morgan resigned from the role yesterday after losing her seat in the Senedd.","elementId":"c5561c67-e83d-482a-a580-95bf8514c0ec"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Skates will serve as leader until a timetable is set for a full leadership election, the party said.","elementId":"5aa0468b-fbb9-4308-83e7-f71c8c0e8eed"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

“Today is just the beginning of a process that will help us to understand what we got wrong. Because we did get it wrong,” Skates said.","elementId":"37ae2191-51d0-4d9c-9f1e-8c2a523d4ab6"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

“There is no reading of this result that endorses every action we have taken as a party and our task now is to take the time needed and to work out what has happened.","elementId":"88719591-c3ad-4cb2-9958-06c5f36a3f5b"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

“It is a task that will require every single one of us to take part in – every member, every councillor, every MS, MP, Lord and all roles in between.","elementId":"a66c5034-6fb9-4686-9983-afbaac52fc05"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

“But it is not a task that is beyond us.”","elementId":"12ae363