'Deeds, not words': Jess Phillips resigns from government in candid letter as she takes aim at 'catastrophic mistakes'

Want LBC stories before everyone else? Set us as your Preferred Source on Google

In a lengthy and honest statement, the safeguarding minister said she believes the Prime Minister is a "good man fundamentally" but that the Labour government had made "catastrophic mistakes".

"The desire not to have an argument means we rarely make an argument, leaving opportunities for progress stalled and delayed," the Birmingham Yardley MP added.

She said Labour governments "forged progress" but this one was lacking the motivation for change.

"I’m not sure we are grasping this rare opportunity with the gusto that’s needed and I cannot keep waiting around for a crisis to push for faster progress," she said.

Problems are mounting for the Prime Minister, after a dismal showing at last week's local elections in which Labour lost more than 1,400 councillors.

Earlier, Miatta Fahnbulleh quit and 81 out of Labour’s 403 MPs have now demanded Sir Keir’s departure after the party’s electoral mauling.

Read More: LIVE: First minister quits as more than 70 Labour MPs sign letter telling Starmer to resign as PM

Read More: Senior minister refuses to take bet on whether Starmer will still be in charge by Christmas

In her letter, she wrote: “I think you are a good man fundamentally, who cares about the right things however I have seen first-hand how that is not enough.

“The desire not to have an argument means we rarely make an argument, leaving opportunities for progress stalled and delayed.”

She said delays to proposals aimed at preventing children from taking explicit images of themselves online were an example of “incremental change. Nothing bold about it”.

Ms Phillips continued: “I know you care deeply, but deeds, not words are what matter.

“I’m not sure we are grasping this rare opportunity with the gusto that’s needed and I cannot keep waiting around for a crisis to push for faster progress.

“Decency is vital, calm curiosity is also needed, but so too are fight and drive required. Have a row, push back, make arguments, bring people along. Standing up and being counted can’t always be workshopped. Politics is as much about feelings as policy, especially at the moment…

“I’m not seeing the change I think I, and the country expect, and so cannot continue to serve as a minister under the current leadership.”

It came after Sir Keir told his Cabinet he would continue governing, and several senior ministers emerged from the meeting rallying around him.

He avoided being directly challenged as he declined to discuss his leadership during Tuesday’s gathering or meet critics individually afterwards, the Press Association understands.

Sir Keir said he would only speak to ministers one-on-one about his fate in the wake of his party’s electoral mauling, but did not do so once Cabinet concluded, according to sources.

Ms Phillips’ departure followed the resignation on Tuesday morning of Miatta Fahnbulleh, who told the Prime Minister “to do the right thing for the country and the party and set a timetable for an orderly transition” as the public had lost trust in him because of issues such as the scrapping of the winter fuel payment.