Starmer latest: Wes Streeting to meet with PM as four ministers quit and Labour MPs split over resignation calls – UK Times

Health secretary Wes Streeting is set to hold talks with the prime minister tomorrow morning, after more than 100 MPs have joined calls for Keir Starmer to quit.

He is expected to ask Starmer how he plans to “get us out of this mess” and talk about the “turbulence” that is gripping the Labour Party, The Times has reported.

King Charles is set to lead a centuries-old tradition in parliament tomorrow and deliver the King’s Speech in the House of Lords.

But following Keir Starmer’s leadership crisis, Buckingham Palace privately asked whether King Charles should proceed as planned.

It has been reported that the king’s team outlined to Starmer’s officials that the King should be kept out of the political crisis and not be used for political ends.

“The Palace view is ‘we do not want to be any part of this conversation — do not bring us into it,’” said one of the people familiar with the matter, according to Politico.

Twelve Labour MPs have established a new caucus called Socialism26, describing it as “a programme for change inside the Labour Party”.

Among the signatories are Poole MP Neil Duncan-Jordan, North Hertfordshire MP Chris Hinchliff, and Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP Lorraine Beavers.

The group has called for the Government to drop proposals to reserve jury trials for the most serious cases, ease some of the Government’s powers to restrict protests, and support council house-building to halve waiting lists by 2029.

“Now is the time for a clear vision of what we think a better life for ordinary people actually looks like,” the group said in a statement on Tuesday.

“That means securing genuinely affordable and decent housing, meaningful work, and a comfortable balance between income and bills for everyone.

“It also means caring about more than just GDP figures, but also a public realm to be proud of, an environment that isn’t a constant reminder of decline, and more space and time in our lives for the things that really matter – leisure, being with friends and family, art, culture and self-fulfilment.”

David Lammy has warned that “navel-gazing” within Labour will benefit Nigel Farage and Reform UK as he reiterated his “full support” for Sir Keir Starmer and urged colleagues to “take a breath”.

The Deputy Prime Minister told reporters outside Downing Street: “(The Prime Minister) was elected just under two years ago with a mandate from the British people for five years.

“He has my full support, and what I say to colleagues is, look, let’s just step back. Take a breath.

“Let’s remember that we have the King’s Speech. We are in Government to do a job of work. It’s been 24 hours now, and nobody has come forward to put themselves forward in the processes that exist in the party.

“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: “I urge colleagues to step back and not benefit Nigel Farage and Reform.”

Deputy prime minister David Lammy has urged Labour MPs to back Keir Starmer.

Walking out of 10 Downing Street he told Sky News: “No one seems to have the names to stand up against Keir Starmer.”

He added that MPs should “step back, take a breath”.

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that he isn’t going anywhere and will fight any attempts by his own party to oust him from No 10 after more than 80 Labour MPs called for him to stand down.

But history is littered with prime ministers who have not been able to choose the time of their departure, from Margaret Thatcher to, more recently, Liz Truss.

Here we look at how the Labour leader could be forced out of Downing Street, ensuring the UK’s seventh prime minister in a decade.

Read more here by Kate Devlin The Independent’s Whitehall Editor:

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is not resigning from government a spokesperson has said.

It comes after she asked Keir Starmer to set out a timeline for his departure, sparking suggestions she would resign.

But after being asked if she was going to resign, the spokesman said: “No. She is cracking on with the job.”

UK long-term borrowing costs have surged to a fresh 28-year high and the pound weakened as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership comes under increasing pressure.

The yield on 30-year UK government bonds – also known as gilts – jumped as much as 13 basis points to 5.807% in Tuesday morning trading, reaching the highest level since 1998 as Sir Keir faced increasing calls from within his own party to quit.

It was around nine basis points higher at 5.76% when London’s markets closed.

The yield on 10-year gilts also rose back above 5%, lifting by as much as 11 basis points to 5.11%, but remained below recent highs reported last month.

It was 5.099% at the close of trading. Gilt yields move counter to the value of the bonds, meaning their prices fall when yields rise.Rising yields on these bonds mean it costs more for governments to borrow from financial markets.