Sir Keir Starmer has been dealt another significant blow as Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite and head of Labour's biggest union donor, has called for his resignation. Graham demanded that a timetable be set for the Prime Minister to step down from his role.
She joins a growing list of critics urging Starmer to leave, with 30 Labour MPs already backing the move. This follows the local elections, where the Labour Party suffered a devastating defeat, losing more than 1,400 councillor seats.
Graham's Statement
Speaking on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Graham stated: "Personally, for me and my members in Unite, we've already cut our affiliations by 40 per cent because they haven't been doing stuff for workers in a number of areas. We will be saying we want is an ordered transition. And if Keir cares about the country as much as he says he cares about the country, what he needs to do now is to say, OK, look, this hasn't worked."
Starmer's Response
In response, Starmer wrote a piece in The Guardian reaffirming his commitment to stay the course and outlining Labour's "reset" going forward. He wrote: "While we must respond to the message that voters have sent us, that doesn't mean tacking right or left. It means bringing together a broad political movement, being assertive about our values, bold in our vision and addressing people's demands. Unifying rather than dividing."
Mounting Pressure
However, the pressure is intensifying. Louise Haigh, MP for Sheffield Heeley, was one of the first to call for his resignation. She said: "What is abundantly clear is that unless the government delivers significant and urgent change, then the prime minister cannot lead us into another election."
Another senior backbencher added: "We want Keir to agree a timetable for his departure, but we want it to be dignified. He should have his last conference this autumn and then oversee a leadership contest straight after. He can't take us into next year's locals. It's too late."
