Rebel MP vows to launch leadership challenge by Monday if 'unconvinced' by Starmer's plan
MP Catherine West said she could take on Sir Keir Starmer after the party’s humiliating defeat in the local elections
Catherine West has told LBC she will launch a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer if she is "unconvinced" by his speech in the House of Commons tomorrow.
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The Hornsey and Friern Barnet MP said on Saturday she would rather see a frontbencher take on the Prime Minister after the party’s humiliating defeat in the local elections.
Ms West warned cabinet ministers have until Monday to put themselves forward before she throws her hat in the ring.
"I think it's not just about the personality of our leader, it's also about the whole approach," she said.
She claimed the "communications approach" and the relationship with the Civil Service needed to improve - and could be fixed with a new leader.
Ms West said she had "plenty of informal support" to launch her bid.
Sir Keir has taken responsibility for the devastating losses but has vowed not to “walk away and plunge the country into chaos” despite growing pressure.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told LBC Ms West does not have the "right approach" and she doesn't think the rebel MP will get the numbers to trigger a Labour leadership contest. She would need 20% of Labour MPs - 81 people - to back her.
Read more: Ministers rally round embattled Starmer as electoral mauling fuels leadership crisis
Ms West said some people will be "upset with me because of the risk" as "some of them had a plan" about doing so in six months' time.
"Sorry, that's just too late," Ms West added.
MPs are now mulling over whether to back her potential bid as cabinet ministers face a damning ultimatum.
Speaking to LBC’s Natasha Devon, Richard Burgon, the Labour MP for Leeds East, said: “I think what Catherine is expressing is the frustration of a whole host of Labour MPs right across the political spectrum in the parliamentary Labour Party, recognising that Keir Starmer should accept that he's fought his last election as Labour leader.”
But he added that he would like to see which other candidates would be on the ballot before deciding who to back - although he believes an immediate leadership contest is not the right move for Labour.
Mr Burgon continued: “I think he [Starmer] should respond to Catherine's interview [and] by Monday actually announce that he will be stepping down, but give a timetable for his departure.
“I think he should say he's going to go, for example, by the end of the year. Because what I don't think we need is a snap election for leader where we have a new Prime Minister in a matter of days or in a week.”
But Labour Party chiefs have urged Ms West not to go ahead with her challenge.
Ms West told the Press Association: “The Party leadership has asked me, obviously, not to do this and (said) everything is in hand.
“But I’m not convinced. I think we need to have a strong statement from the Prime Minister, either that he feels he’s not the person to take us forward, or he is, and he’s fighting for us
“That is what we need to know. And I think that’s what they just want to hear. After their verdict, which they gave us, as Labour representatives on Thursday, we need a much stronger response from the Government.”
When asked who she would like to be the next Labour leader, the MP said: “That is a question for the Cabinet to begin with, to see whether they can put someone forward, who they can all get behind, then we wouldn’t need a leadership election.
“And then the next step is people will put themselves forward and I know that if I get the names requisite to stand myself, that will spark other leadership contenders and then we will end up with somebody emerging.“There are some excellent people, but they do need to have the courage to stand up and say why they should be the next leader to take us forward into the most decisive general election that we’ve known.”
Sir Keir has vowed to lead Labour at the next general election despite the possibility of a leadership challenge. Asked if he would lead at the next election and serve a full term, he told the Sunday Mirror: “Yes I will, and I’ve always said it’s a decade of national renewal, where the legacy we inherited was an appalling legacy on all fronts, not just the economy, which was broken.”
The Prime Minister said his fightback, which starts with a speech on Monday and the King’s Speech on Wednesday, would include a “full throated” pitch to be closer to Europe.
He told the newspaper that his plan would be “really clear that this is about the hope and opportunity of a better future, part of which is a stronger economy and an economy that really works for everyone, wherever they live, whatever they do. There are a number of strands to that, but one is, we have to be closer to Europe, and I just want to be full throated about this”.
Sir Keir party has lost more than 1,200 seats, more than half of those it was defending in these elections, and lost 37 councils.