Phillips among four ministers to quit as Starmer battles for premiership

Four ministers including Jess Phillips have resigned from government, with Labour deeply divided by a revolt among MPs against Sir Keir Starmer's leadership.

In a letter, Phillips told Sir Keir she was "not seeing the change" the country expected and could not serve "under the current leadership".

Phillips is one of four ministers to quit as dozens of Labour MPs urge Sir Keir to resign as prime minister after dire election results, while more than 100 others warned against a leadership contest.

On Tuesday, Sir Keir told cabinet ministers he would get on with governing and pointed out that a formal leadership challenge had not been triggered.

Several senior ministers rallied around the prime minister following the meeting.

The resignations and turmoil in Downing Street come a day before Sir Keir's government is due to set out its legislative agenda in the King's Speech.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said Sir Keir had his "full support", as he urged colleagues calling for him to resign to "step back".

"No one seems to have the names to stand up against Keir Starmer, and for those who are suggesting that he should stand down, they should say which candidate would be better," he added.

A government source told the BBC that at the cabinet meeting Sir Keir told colleagues he would not discuss the election results or his leadership, and would only speak to cabinet ministers about those topics "individually".

The BBC understands several cabinet ministers tried to talk to Sir Keir about his leadership after the cabinet meeting but he declined to speak to them.

But Health Secretary Wes Streeting is due to meet Sir Keir in Number 10 Downing Street on Wednesday.

The BBC has been told Streeting will not be saying anything following the meeting that might distract from the King's Speech.

In a speech aimed at steadying his tottering premiership on Monday, Sir Keir said "incremental change won't cut it" as he promised to "face up to the big challenges" the country faced.

But in her letter, Phillips said "real change" in her role "usually came from threats made by me in light of catastrophic mistakes".

"I think you are a good man fundamentally, who cares about the right things however I have seen first-hand how that is not enough," Phillips said.

"The desire not to have an argument means we rarely make an argument, leaving opportunities for progress stalled and delayed."

She said it had taken her a year to get the prime minister to agree to "threaten" legislation that would end the ability for children in the UK to take naked images of themselves.

"This is the definition of incremental change," Phillips said. "Nothing bold about it.

"The announcement was meant to be in March, I'm still on a promise this will happen in June, I've given up believing it. How many children were left without a safety net in the time we dilly dallied and worried about tech bosses?"

Phillips said while she recognised Sir Keir cared deeply it was "deeds, not words" that mattered.

"I'm not sure we are grasping this rare opportunity with the gusto that's needed and I cannot keep waiting around for a crisis to push for faster progress," Phillips said.

Signing off her letter, Phillips said: "I want a Labour government to work and I will strive as I always have for its success and popularity, but I'm not seeing the change I think I, and the country expect, and so cannot continue to serve as a minister under the current leadership."

Phillips campaigned to reduce the rate of violence against women and girls prior to being appointed minister for safeguarding after the 2024 general election.

Labour promised in its general election manifesto that it would halve the rate of violence against women and girls over the next decade.

Home Office insiders told the BBC there was much frustration among staff at the slow pace of policy implementation - something Philips makes clear in her resignation letter.

Phillips' departure followed Miatta Fahnbulleh's resignation as minister for devolution, faith and communities.

She told the prime minister "to do the right thing for the country and the party and set a timetable for an orderly transition".

Alex Davies-Jones also resigned as minister for victims and violence against women and girls.

She called for "bold, radical action" and similarly urged Sir Keir to set out a timetable for his departure.

Zubir Ahmed was the fourth minister to quit on Tuesday, telling Sir Keir his resignation letter that the public had "irretrievably lost confidence in you as prime minister" and "continuation in office is wholly untenable".

A leadership election can only be triggered if the leader resigns, or if Labour MPs launch a challenge when there is no vacancy.

A challenger wishing to oust an incumbent leader must be supported by 20% of Labour MPs, and based on the current number of Labour MPs, 81 would need to support a challenger to formally start the process.

More than 80 Labour MPs have publicly urged Sir Keir to resign immediately or draw up an exit timetable, though they are not unified in who should replace him.

But more than 100 Labour MPs and ministerial aides have signed a statement saying this was "no time for a leadership contest".

The letter says winning back trust from voters starts "with all of us working together to deliver the change the country needs".

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