First Labour authorities minister quits telling Starmer to ‘do the best factor’
Labour Housing Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh has become the first government minister to resign, urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to set a timetable for an orderly leadership transition
File photo dated 15/11/25 of housing, communities and local government minister Miatta Fahnbulleh, who has resigned, telling Sir Keir Starmer “to do the right thing for the country and the Party and set a timetable for an orderly transition”. The PM is facing the biggest leadership crisis of his premiership as Cabinet ministers including the Home Secretary reportedly urged him to consider his position and Government aides quit their posts. Issue date: Tuesday May 12, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jeff Moore/PA Wire
The first minister has resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s Government, piling pressure on the beleaguered Labour leader to quit. Housing, communities and local government minister Miatta Fahnbulleh has stepped down, urging Sir Keir Starmer “to do the right thing for the country and the Party and set a timetable for an orderly transition”.
In her resignation letter, the former minister declared: “I am proud of the work that I have done in this Government.
“First as the Minister for Energy Consumers where I secured energy bill discounts for 6 million families and kick started our Warm Homes Plan; and in my current role where I have rolled out our transformational Pride in Place Programme, delivered a generational shift in power through our English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, and led our critical work on tackling the rising tide of hate and division in our communities.
“It has been a privilege to play my part in a government that is working hard at every level to deliver the change that our country needs.
“While progress has been made, we have not acted with the vision, pace and ambition that our mandate for change demands of us. Nor have we governed as a Labour Party clear about our values and strong in our convictions.
“Mistakes such as the winter fuel payment and cuts to the support provided to disabled people have left too many of my constituents doubting our mission.
“And the message on the doorstep was clear: you, Prime Minister, have lost the trust and confidence of the public.
“Our country faces enormous challenges and people are crying out for the scale of change that this requires.
“The public does not believe that you can lead this change – and nor do I.
“Therefore, I urge you to do the right thing for the country and the Party and set a timetable for an orderly transition so that a new team can deliver the change we promised the country.”
Sir Keir faces an extraordinary weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, with senior ministers split over how best to move forward and concerns among some about plunging the party into a potential leadership contest.
The Prime Minister promised to prove his “doubters” wrong at a press conference on Monday as former minister Catherine West withdrew threats to imminently launch a leadership challenge.
But his speech failed to quell demands that he quit or set out a timetable for his departure from discontented MPs, who continued to call for his resignation.
