Britain's Labor Party has plunged into severe infighting after a crushing defeat in local elections. With open calls inside the party for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign less than two years into his term, the possibility of an early exit is being raised. In Britain's political circles, some even say, "No one can guarantee how much longer Starmer can stay at Downing Street, the prime minister's residence."
According to the Financial Times (FT) in the U.K. and Le Monde in France, Starmer is expected to try to break through head-on on the 11th (local time) by laying out plans in a speech to win back young voters and improve relations with the European Union (EU). He then plans to use the "King's Speech" to be delivered by King Charles III on the 13th as a springboard to revive his governing momentum. But inside the Labor Party, some are already saying the "Starmer system has effectively entered a collapse phase."
The center-left Labor Party suffered a historic rout in the local elections held on the 7th, losing about 1,500 council seats. It lost control of its traditional base, Wales, and was beaten heavily by the hard-right Reform UK in key areas of northern England. In parts of London, it even ceded a majority of seats to the Greens. Having toppled the Conservative government in the 2024 general election to take power after 14 years, the Labor Party has faced a rapid loss of public support in less than two years. The Guardian, citing lawmakers, assessed, "The Labor Party losing more than 1,500 council seats is a crisis that threatens the party's existence."
Internal backlash is also intensifying. So far, about 30 to 40 Labor Party lawmakers are said to have demanded Starmer's resignation or a deadline for his departure. Former Minister Josh Simons said in an interview with the FT, "Starmer can no longer break through this situation," adding, "He must oversee an orderly transfer of power." Former Minister Catherine West also publicly raised the possibility of a leadership contest, saying, "The Labor Party has serious problems and must move quickly."
Multiple factors drove this election debacle. Cuts to winter fuel support angered working-class and elderly voters, and criticism grew that the government had failed to address economic woes such as high inflation and paralysis of public services, deepening chronic problems. On top of that, the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States became the final fuse for public anger. It emerged that Starmer appointed Mandelson as ambassador despite knowing of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a sex offender who preyed on minors. This triggered an explosion of pent-up discontent with the economy, welfare, and foreign affairs since the launch of the Starmer government.
When he took power in 2024, Starmer promised change, saying he would "change Britain," but the British economy remains stuck in a low-growth phase. With high inflation and heavy tax burdens, the recovery of real wages has been delayed, while youth unemployment and cost-of-living pressures have persisted. Among core Labor Party supporters, some even say, "We don't know what has changed from the Conservative government." Questions also abounded about foreign and security leadership. As the war in Ukraine drags on and instability in the Middle East continues, assessments have followed that Britain's international presence has weakened, and criticism has mounted that there have been no clear results on the issue of resetting relations with the European Union (EU) after Brexit.
There is also a sense that no clear party contender is emerging to succeed Starmer. Le Monde reported that Health Minister Wes Streeting, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham are being mentioned, but none has officially declared a run. Streeting, classified as right-leaning within the Labor Party, is unlikely to win left-wing support, and Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, has taken a political hit over tax issues. Burnham is not a member of Parliament, so to seek the premiership, he would first need to return to Parliament.
The internal power structure of the Labor Party is also complicated. Starmer's camp warns that an attempt to change the leadership could instead throw the entire party into turmoil. In fact, unlike the Conservatives, the Labor Party lacks a clear leadership change procedure, and to start a contest, candidates must secure the support of at least 20% of all Labor members of Parliament.
Amid this, talk of the prime minister's resignation is already shaking financial markets. As concerns grow that Starmer's ouster could lead to the simultaneous departure of Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the yield on the U.K.'s 30-year government bonds has recently surged to 5.75%. That is the highest level since the late 1990s.
Le Monde said the situation resembles the turbulent final days in office of former prime ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss. In particular, with the case of Liz Truss, who stepped down after just 49 days in 2022, being revisited, some speculate that British politics may again be entering an "era of short-lived prime ministers."