Keir Starmer may decide to step aside before the next election if it would save the Labour party from defeat to Reform, allies have revealed.
Downing Street insisted that the Prime Minister’s position has not changed since last week – when he made it clear that there is no leadership contest to succeed him.
But No 10 and allies did not deny reports that Starmer has spent the weekend in Chequers with aides weighing up his future after last week’s leadership crisis, when nearly 100 Labour MPs for him to quit and Wes Streeting and several ministers and ministerial aides resigned.
A Cabinet ally of the Prime Minister urged him to remain in place because he was an “island of stability” amid political, economic and international turmoil.
But the ally also suggested that there may come a point between now and the next general election when Starmer decides to go of his own accord in the best interests of the Labour party.
They said: “My very firm view is that Keir should not set a timetable and that he must continue to serve as prime minister unless or until there is a challenge. Or until – probably much nearer the election – he establishes that change is in our electoral interests.
“He is an island of stability when the country badly needs it. The public are horrified by all this.”
Reported deliberations over Starmer’s future come little more than a week after the PM told The Observer he intended to lead the UK for 10 years and would take Labour into the next general election.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who is an ally of would-be leadership contender Andy Burnham, said the Prime Minister had been “very clear” that he will not resign but said it was Starmer’s “personal decision” over his future.
Nandy told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips Sky News: “I’ve spoken to the Prime Minister several times over the last week.
“He was very clear to the Cabinet on Tuesday that if people want to challenge him there is a process for doing that … no one has done that yet despite the absolute feverish speculation every hour, on the hour, for the last week.
“The Prime Minister, of course, has to make his own decision about whether he wants to take that next fight forwards.”
Asked if Starmer would stand down if a contest is triggered, she said she couldn’t “speak for the Prime Minister”.
She added that “he weighs up the very heavy responsibilities on him to make sure we deliver… bigger and far more fundamental change.”
And Nandy told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “It’s a very personal decision for him.
“I haven’t spoken to him this weekend, but I’ve spoken to him several times over the last week, and obviously he’s shown before that he’s up for a fight…
“I wouldn’t write off the Prime Minister, but I would just say that this is a very personal decision. He’s got to make that decision himself.”
Jess Phillips, a Streeting ally who quit her post as safeguarding minister last week, said the Prime Minister should not fight to remain Labour leader if there is a contest.
She told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that there should be a leadership race, but when asked if Starmer should stand, she said: “In my opinion, no.”
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