Keir Starmer’s chief secretary and one of his closest allies has refused to confirm whether the Prime Minister will still be in Number 10 come the next election
The Prime Minister’s chief secretary and one of his most trusted confidants has declined to guarantee that Keir Starmer will remain at the helm of the Labour Party for the next general election.
Cabinet minister Darren Jones declared on earlier this morning while appearing on Ridge and Frost on Sky News: “Obviously colleagues are asking the prime minister to consider different options in the future, and as I say, he rightfully is listening to them. It would be wrong if he wasn’t listening to them.”
When pressed directly on whether Starmer will still occupy Number 10 by the time of the next election, Jones responded: “I’m not going to get ahead of any decision that the Prime Minister may or may not make.”
The remarks represent a dramatic shift in tone from Starmer’s weekend stance, when he vowed he would not “walk away” and outlined his vision for a decade in power, as reported by City AM.
On Monday, the 10-year yield on UK gilts – a crucial indicator of the government’s borrowing costs – climbed more than nine basis points beyond the five per cent threshold as political uncertainty spooked markets.
This follows more than 70 Labour Party members now demanding Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation in the wake of catastrophic local election results.
Speculation has also intensified that several cabinet ministers, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, are now pressing the Prime Minister to outline a timeline for his exit.
Starmer is due to face the cabinet later this morning as pressure on his leadership intensifies.
By Monday’s close, nearly 70 MPs had publicly demanded the PM’s departure.
Five MPs resigned their roles as parliamentary private secretaries (PPS), while another urged Mr Starmer to establish “a clear timetable for his departure in September or shortly after”.
All six have been replaced.
In recent days, No10 has been shaken by high-profile MPs and allies of the PM calling for a leadership change. These included former Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons – who previously led pro-Starmer think-tank Labour Together.
He stated the party leader had “lost the country” and encouraged him to set out a timetable for his exit.
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