Summary

The Labour Party is facing its gravest internal crisis in decades following catastrophic losses in the 2026 UK local elections. Labour lost 1,496 councillors and 38 councils across England, suffered a historic defeat in Wales with Plaid Cymru overtaking the party, and recorded its worst-ever Scottish Parliament result. In response, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivered a “make-or-break” speech at the Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre in London on May 11, 2026, directly challenging his critics and unveiling new policy directions. Despite a coordinated effort by No. 10 Downing Street staff to secure public backing from ministers, the parliamentary revolt intensified. 75 Labour MPs—including several Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS)—have now publicly called for Starmer’s resignation, with multiple PPSs issuing formal resignation statements. The situation remains highly fluid, with the party’s future leadership and direction in question.

 

Detailed Report

1. Labour’s Local Election Losses

Labour suffered one of its worst electoral setbacks in modern history during the 2026 UK local elections, losing 1,496 councillors and control of 38 councils across England. In Wales, Plaid Cymru overtook Labour for the first time in a century, ending Labour’s long-standing dominance. The party also recorded its worst-ever Scottish Parliament result, returning just 17 of 129 seats at Holyrood. Reform UK surged, gaining over 1,400 seats and becoming the largest party on several councils. These results have been widely interpreted as a repudiation of Starmer’s leadership and the party’s direction by both the public and the party’s grassroots.
[For further context and detailed results, see our full UK local elections cable here]

 

2. Starmer’s Make-or-Break Speech

Prime Minister Starmer delivered a pivotal “make-or-break” speech at the Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre in Waterloo, London, on May 11, 2026. The address was aimed at reasserting his authority and setting a new direction for his government following Labour’s electoral setbacks. Starmer directly addressed his critics, asserting that he can prove them wrong again. He also categorically ruled out shifting Labour’s position to the left or right to mimic the Greens or Reform UK.

 

3. No. 10 Coordination Effort

In the immediate aftermath of Starmer’s speech, No. 10 Downing Street staff began contacting ministers and senior Labour figures to secure public statements of support for the Prime Minister. According to Sky News, “No. 10 staff are calling ministers to try to get them to publicly back Starmer.” The Guardian described Downing Street aides as “calling ministers and senior MPs, asking them to go on record backing Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership in the wake of the election results.” Despite these efforts, ministerial responses were described as “nuanced,” and the scale of the parliamentary revolt continued to grow.

 

4. Parliamentary Revolt: Growing List of Labour MPs Call for Starmer’s Resignation

A significant and rapidly expanding group of Labour MPs has publicly called for Starmer to step down as party leader in the wake of the 2026 local election losses. Major news outlets are reporting that more than 75 MPs had joined the revolt. This movement spans both the left and centre-left of the party and includes prominent figures such as former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, former cabinet minister Louise Haigh, and senior backbencher Clive Betts. The dissent intensified following Starmer’s high-profile speech on May 11, with additional MPs coming forward to demand his resignation or a clear timetable for his departure. While the number of MPs involved is approaching the formal threshold required to trigger a leadership contest—currently set at 81 MPs, or 20% of the Parliamentary Labour Party—it had not yet been formally reached as of the latest reporting. The breadth and speed of the revolt have been described by multiple outlets as unprecedented in recent Labour history, reflecting deep dissatisfaction with the party’s direction and Starmer’s leadership.

The leadership crisis has also prompted a series of resignations from junior government ranks, particularly among Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPSs). At least four to five PPSs have resigned their posts in protest, including Melanie Ward (PPS to the Deputy Prime Minister), Joe Morris (PPS to the Health Secretary), Naushabah Khan (PPS in the Cabinet Office), and Tom Rutland. Sally Jameson, PPS to the Home Secretary, has also publicly joined calls for a leadership timetable. These resignations have been widely interpreted as a sign of eroding confidence in Starmer’s ability to lead the party and respond to the challenges highlighted by the election results. The stated reasoning across these departures centres on a belief that the Prime Minister has lost the trust of both the public and the parliamentary party, and that new leadership is required to rebuild support and credibility. 

 

Conclusion

The Labour Party’s leadership crisis has reached a critical juncture. Despite Starmer’s high-profile “make-or-break” speech and a coordinated effort by No. 10 to rally support, the parliamentary revolt has only intensified, with 75 MPs—including multiple frontbenchers and PPSs—now publicly demanding his resignation. The party’s internal divisions remain deep, and the coming days will be decisive for both Starmer’s future and the direction of the Labour Party.