Labour MPs are calling for Starmer's resignation, while the Prime Minister insists that his departure would "plunge" the United Kingdom into chaos.

Around thirty Labour MPs have in recent hours joined the calls for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign, following the party's disastrous performance in last Thursday's local elections, in which the far-right party Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, gained ground. However, the British leader has so far rejected these calls, insisting that his departure would only deepen the "political chaos" in the country. According to a count by the British broadcaster Sky News, a total of 37 Labour MPs in the British Parliament have called for a plan for Starmer's orderly departure, which would in turn lead to a change at the head of the British government. For any initiative to remove Starmer as Labour leader to succeed, it must garner the support of 81 members of Parliament. Among the latest Labour leaders to advocate for Starmer's departure is Paulette Hamilton, the representative for the Birmingham constituency, a traditional Labour stronghold where the party went from 65 councillors to just 17 in the last elections. "We need an orderly transition, and we need to develop a plan. Starmer needs to address this, regarding when he will resign and when that transition will take place," she said, insisting that the British people "have spoken." In the same vein, David Smith, the MP for the North Northumberland constituency in northern England, said after Starmer's speech in which he rejected his resignation that he believes the Prime Minister is an "honest" man, but has asked him for a "clear timeline" for his departure. "This must be orderly and dignified; for the Prime Minister himself, for the government, but above all for the good of the country," he declared. For her part, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, elected for the London constituency of Clapham and Brixton Hill, insisted that Starmer "does not have a credible plan," and therefore has urged him to set a deadline for his departure as leader of the party and the British government. "The process to replace him should not be a coronation," she said, highlighting the need for an internal process within the Labour Party. Keir Starmer has sought to quell a growing rebellion within his Labour Party to avoid plunging Britain into a new political crisis. But after disastrous local election results, Starmer is deeply unpopular. Who is waiting in the wings to replace him? https://t.co/m7jFX5LKkn pic.twitter.com/sYsDHKLS1H— Reuters (@Reuters) May 11, 2026 Starmer acknowledged this Monday the "frustration" with his figure following the poor results of the Labour Party in the municipal elections last Thursday, although he again rejected his resignation, arguing that he wants to turn the situation around, after stating that his departure would only lead to "chaos" in the United Kingdom. "I will not hide the fact that I have detractors, even within my own party. And I will not hide the fact that I have to prove them wrong. And I will," the Labour leader said, emphasizing that his departure would only deepen the "chaos" in which, he said, "the Conservatives have repeatedly plunged the country" with successive changes of leadership since 2019.